The Detroit Lions have seen no shortage of injuries to key players on the defensive side of the ball this season, and the unit took yet another blow in Week 11 when linebacker Alex Anzalone went down with an injury.
Anzalone exited the blowout win over the Jacksonville Jaguars early due to a broken forearm. The veteran defender is expected to miss six to eight weeks, which means he could be back in time for the playoffs.
In the mean time, the Lions have to fill the void. As expected, Malcolm Rodriguez will step in for Anzalone, head coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday.
"Very important," Campbell said of Rodriguez. "He really does become somewhat the next man up... But it's really Jack (Campbell) and Malcolm. Those are the two that are going to take on the heaviest load of that whole room. He knows that, but he's ready for it."
In order to provide more depth, the Lions signed linebacker David Long, who was cut by the Miami Dolphins while in the final year of his two-year, $11 million deal, to the practice squad.
Long will provide insurance and play on special teams for now, Campbell said, but Long could work his way into a bigger role depending on how he acclimates. It remains to be seen if he'll make his debut this week, though.
Dan Campbell said David Long's initial role is special teams and insurance, but if he can acclimate and get on top of the playbook, said they'll find a way to use him. The coach praised the LB's aggressiveness and ability to find the ball
— Justin Rogers | Detroit Football Network (@Justin_Rogers) November 20, 2024
Long started in 23 of the 25 games he played in with the Dolphins over a season-plus before falling out of favor. Before that, he was a sixth-round pick of the Titans in 2019 and worked his way into a starting role, where he showed a ton of promise, especially as a run defender.
Perhaps a change of scenery is what Long needs to get back on track. If the Lions can unlock the Long we saw in Tennessee, they will have gotten themselves a quality player who can be a major asset.
In terms of other linebacker options on the active roster, Detroit has Ben Niemann, Trevor Nowaske and Ezekiel Turner. Niemann figures to have the biggest role in the room outside of Campbell and Rodriguez.
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