Allen Park — Two seasons ago, Lions tight end Joseph Fauria was one of the pleasant surprises on the team. In his rookie season, he caught seven touchdowns and danced his way from the end zone into Lions fans’ hearts with his affable demeanor.
Then the music stopped.
Last season, his production waned after he suffered an ankle injury and was placed on injured reserve. He played in only seven games, with six catches and only one touchdown, as rookie Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew took most of the reps at tight end.
Following an offseason of recovery, Fauria is looking to work his way back to the form of his rookie year that garnered him so much praise and made him a favorite red-zone target of quarterback Matthew Stafford.