THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Dominic Raiola has played for the Detroit Lions since 2001, giving him a unique perspective on the worst eight-season stretch by an NFL team since World War II.

Raiola has been one of the only consistent contributors during the miserable stretch by earning the job as starting centre the past seven years.

Less than a week into training camp with first-year coach Jim Schwartz, Raiola can see and feel a difference with hard-hitting practices and stiff competition that even put his job in jeopardy.

"I don't think anybody feels safe," Raiola said Wednesday. "That's the way it should be. ... You have to earn your keep. Nobody deserves to have anything given."

Schwartz is pleased Raiola and the rest of the team have gotten the message that no one's job is safe.

"That's been our mantra from the start," he said.

Schwartz, players and executives have seen some encouraging signs in training camp and yet they know there's a lot of work to do for the team coming off the NFL's first 0-16 season.

The new coach has liked how hard the players have been working and how well they're embracing his way of running practice. But he's not sporting an ear-to-earn grin and skipping through the halls of team headquarters just yet.

"We've got a long way to go before I'm going to be truly happy with anything," he said. "The only way we're all going to be truly happy is when we win games, so let's wait until we do that until we give too many pats on the back."

The Lions opened practice to the general public for the first time Wednesday morning and welcomed an Allen Park-record crowd of 1,612 fans. They saw an up-tempo workout -- with players in shorts, helmets and soft shoulder pads -- with a lot of eye-catching plays on both sides of the ball.

Linebacker Jordon Dizon made a diving interception. Safety Marquand Manuel broke up a pass from Daunte Culpepper to Calvin Johnson. Linebacker Ernie Sims put a teammate on his back.

Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 pick in April, drew ahhs and ohhs with a long pass to Keary Colbert.

Rookie tight end Dan Gronkowski, a seventh-rounder, has been a pleasant surprise since the first workout on Saturday.

"We were just looking for a body for training camp when we drafted him," said Charlie Sanders, a Hall of Fame tight end and assistant director of pro personnel. "We think we found more than that."

Gronkowski has gotten a chance to make plays, filling in for first-round tight end Brandon Pettigrew and six-year veteran Casey FitzSimmons, and he's taken advantage.

Schwartz has been switching young and old players in with different groups, creating a rotation that allows for competition at every position.

"A lot of people are fighting for jobs and I've never seen that before here," Raiola said. "It doesn't matter how much you're making or how long you've been here, everybody's getting a chance. That's what is making this camp productive."

Even though the Lions have a lot invested in Stafford -- as much as $78 million over the next six years -- the former Georgia star knows he will have to beat out former Pro Bowl quarterback Daunte Culpepper to take the first snaps Week 1 next month at New Orleans.

"I think competition drives everybody," Stafford said. "Coach Schwartz does a great job of setting the stage where everybody can compete for a starting spot. You don't worry about the other guy, but it makes you be as good as you can be."