Detroit Lions tight end Isaac Nauta is not the rookie getting all the attention but during spring camp he was receiving lots of praise for his hands. The coaching staff was excited to see him during game action but he was mostly a disappointment.

During the third quarter against the New England Patriots, Nauta went out for a pass in the flat and a perfect pass came his way. He put his hands up to catch the ball and it sailed right through them for an incompletion.

Nauta didn't make any excuses for the drop and said that he is actually glad it is out of the way.

Via the Detroit Free Press:

“No, that one just got to me,” Nauta said. “I’ve to make that catch for sure. I’ve just got to clean up some of those mistakes I made in the first game and make sure I don’t do it again. But at least I got that drop out of the way and I can move on from it now.”

Lions coach Matt Patricia did still have praise for Nauta but said that pass-catching is something he is going to need to work on.

“Yeah, I think Nauta has come out and competed really hard,” coach Matt Patricia said. “He’s one of those guys where you get to the point in training camp where there’s a lot in right now. A lot of different situation stuff and a player like him in that position where some of the roles he’s asked become significant in some of the situational stuff that he has to learn.”

The good news for Nauta is he should have plenty of opportunities going forward during the preseason to get a chance to prove that he deserves a spot on the roster.