Coach Wayne Fontes of the Detroit Lions...

Coach Wayne Fontes of the Detroit Lions said that Rodney Peete, former USC quarterback, has been impressive since training camp opened at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., 10 days ago, adding that the Heisman Trophy runner-up looks better with every practice.

“I like Rodney, I really do,” Fontes said. “I think he has tremendous poise for a rookie. But if he were to be the starter, they’d come after him every different way. They’d give him different reads, try to confuse him.”

Peete, the Lions’ sixth-round draft pick, is one of five quarterbacks battling for the starting job. The others are veterans Chuck Long, Eric Hipple and Rusty Hilger and free-agent Bob Gagliano.

Meanwhile, Fontes denied rumors that the Lions had offered unsigned No. 1 pick Barry Sanders to the Rams for running back Greg Bell and the Rams’ No. 1 pick in 1990.