The Detroit Lions had multiple positions groups to address during the 2024 offseason, but linebacker was not one of them.
Detroit sports a talented group that consists of a stalwart Alex Anzalone, two talented young players in Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes, and a special teams standout in Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who was a Pro Bowler last season.
Barnes took a big step forward in his third season and while Campbell had an up-and-down rookie campaign, he showed plenty of promise and looks primed to have a breakout season in 2024 based on what we've seen during spring practices, and because of the rave reviews of different coaches.
Despite having a talented group, the Lions' linebacker corps. was ranked as the No. 22 unit ahead of the upcoming season by Pro Football Focus' Gordon McGuinness. Here's what he had to say:
The rookie learning curve for linebackers is tough, so Jack Campbell’s first-year struggles shouldn’t be much of a cause for concern. It’s just a matter of how quickly he can improve in his second season after earning a 75.8 PFF run-defense grade and a 35.3 coverage grade.
Slotting in next to Campbell, Alex Anzalone is coming off the highest-graded season of his career (69.8) in his seventh NFL campaign.
Along with Anzalone, Campbell, Barnes and Reeves-Maybin, Malcolm Rodriguez is a solid backup and special teams contributor who has also played fullback.
Not many teams in the NFL sport the kind of talent, versatility and depth the Lions do at the position, which is why they should be much higher in PFF's rankings.
