Rookie cornerback Amari Spievey, a third-round draft pick, got off to a slow start in the season with tight hips (the muscles around his hips were pulled when he was training for the Combine).

But as he felt better, he looked more comfortable on the field. At the final minicamp before summer break he had two picks in one session including one thrown by Matthew Stafford and targeted for Calvin Johnson.

It was not a completely good day for Spievey, who played at Iowa, because he made some mistakes early on. But it showed signs of progress and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Spievey is fighting for a starting cornerback job but he has a lot of competition. He’s speedy and has something to prove so look for him to fight for a roster spot.

During minicamp he said his hips were close to being 100 percent and he planned to work out hard in July, so he can come into training camp flying. That is exactly what the Lions would like to see.

(This is part of a series of 20 Lions to watch in training camp which starts July 31. Follow me on Twitter.com @PaulaPasche.)