Lions coach Jim Schwartz says second-year CB Bill Bentley has "really improved his technique." A 2012 third-rounder, a shoulder injury limited Bentley to just four games as a rookie. "You know, even when we had him last year early in camp, he was a playmaker," Schwartz said. "He got his hands on balls. He plays with a lot of spirit." Bentley is competing with second-rounder Darius Slay for a starting job opposite Chris Houston, but MLive.com considers him a better bet for nickel duties.