On the roster: Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Malcolm Rodriguez, James Houston, Mitchell Agude, DaRon Gilbert, Nate Lynn, Ben Niemann, Isaac Ukwu
Key losses: Anthony Pittman, Julian Okwara
| Name | Games | Tackles | TFL | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Anzalone | 16 | 129 | 7.0 | 3.0 |
| Jack Campbell | 17 | 95 | 5.0 | 2.0 |
| Derrick Barnes | 16 | 81 | 5.0 | 1.0 |
| Jalen Reeves-Maybin | 17 | 20 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Malcolm Rodriguez | 17 | 21 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| James Houston | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| DaRon Gilbert* | 13 | 51 | 2.5 | 0.5 |
| Nate Lynn* | 10 | 58 | 11.0 | 8.0 |
| Ben Niemann^ | 7 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Isaac Ukwu* | 13 | 30 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Mitchell Agude | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
^with another team *college stats
Best competition: Inside linebacker roles
Heading into his second season, Jack Campbell is looking to take on a bigger role as the Day 1 starter at the MIKE spot. Anzalone's move to the WILL last year was really good for his game and freed him up to make a lot of plays as he led the team with 129 tackles.
The Lions think Campbell is ready to assume a permanent role at the MIKE, and his size, speed and playmaking ability could be a difference maker for that side of the ball if he takes the leap in development most players do heading into their second season.
Barnes played in the middle last year too, but also moved around and played a significant number of snaps at outside linebacker. It will be interesting to see how the Lions deploy him this season. He worked this spring both inside and outside. He's becoming a really versatile player who can play a lot of different roles in that room. His diving interception against the Bucs in the playoffs last year sent the Lions to the NFC Championship Game.
Reeves-Maybin was an All-Pro special teamer last season, but he also got substantial snaps on defense as one of Detroit's best cover linebackers. Rodriguez is a former starter turned backup who gives the Lions great depth at the position.
On the outside, the Lions are hoping Houston can regain the form we saw from him as a rookie in 2022 when he recorded eight sacks in the last seven games of the season. Agude, who spent last season on Detroit's practice squad, has terrific length (6-4, 245) and had a good spring. He'll be a player to watch when the pads come on and the pass rush kicks into gear in camp.
Twentyman's take: Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has to feel really good about returning his top five linebackers from last season. There's a comfort that comes with having experienced players and proven playmakers at the bridge spot between the defensive line and secondary.
Anzalone is coming off his best season after recording 129 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and six passes defended. He's a three-down player who can do a little bit of everything. Since joining the Lions in 2021, he is one of seven NFL players to total at least 325 tackles, 15 passes defended, 15 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and two interceptions.
How big of a leap can Campbell take in Year 2? The Lions think it will be a big one. He puts in the work, and it was evident by his play in the spring. The game looked to slow down for him. Don't be shocked if he reaches triple-digit tackles in 2024.
To be a true three-down player Campbell has to be more consistent against the pass. Teams completed 80.6 percent of the passes thrown at him (25-for-31) with a 128.3 passer rating, per Pro Football Reference, but he looked better in that department this spring picking off a couple passes and breaking up a couple others in OTAs and minicamp.
What I like most about this linebacker unit in Detroit is the versatility and depth they have. They have the right mix of skillsets to run just about any defense or coverage Glenn wants to run. It's a veteran group with a lot of snaps under their belt. And if Detroit's defensive front is as improved as the Lions expect it to be with the additions of DJ Reader, Marcus Davenport and others, the linebackers should be free to make a lot of plays this season.
View some of the best photos from Detroit Lions offseason workouts, OTAs and minicamp.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 5, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky (79) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 30, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 29, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (41) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 6, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky (79) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike (91) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 8, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 29, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 29, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kaden Davis (88) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 4, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky (79) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 5, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 5, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Maurice Alexander (1), Detroit Lions safety Loren Strickland (48) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 5, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 4, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 4, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 5, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 4, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 5, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 29, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 30, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 29, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow (77) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 24, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 31, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 29, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 29, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 22, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 22, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 16, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 5, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 5, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during veteran minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on June 5, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley (17) during OTAs at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 29, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Chelen Garnes (35) during rookie minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaiah Williams (83) during rookie minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki (33) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 13, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 6, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 13, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Kingsley Eguakun (65) during rookie minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Antoine Green (18) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Christian Mahogany (73) during rookie minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Morice Norris (39) during rookie minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during rookie minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 2, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during rookie minicamp at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 12, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Netane Muti (52) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 2, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 2, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 30, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 29, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 6, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 13, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 6, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Brodric Martin (99) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 30, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9), Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 1, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Antoine Green (18) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 30, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on April 30, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 1, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Mitchell Agude (50) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 2, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
By the numbers:
4: Passing touchdowns allowed by Detroit's top five linebackers last season: Anzalone (2), Campbell (2), Barnes (0), Rodriguez (0) and Reeves-Maybin (0).
5: Detroit only allowed 100-or-more rushing yards in five games last season, which led the NFL and ranked second in franchise history.
10: Games with five-or-more tackles this season for Campbell, the most among all NFL rookies.
19: Passes defended for Anzalone since 2021, tied for fourth most among NFL linebackers over that stretch. Only Fred Warner (25), Jordan Hicks (20) and T.J. Watt (20) have more.
97: Negative plays (negative rushes, sacks for negative yards, negative passes) forced by Detroit's defense last season causing opponents to lose 505 yards on those plays. Both totals were fifth most in the NFL last year.
Quotable: "He's exceeded my expectations, which were already high. He's come back further along than what I expected," Linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard said of Campbell this spring. "This player you can tell he dove right back into it (after last season ended). He even told me he took minimal time off. I'm sure his fiancée hated it. But he got right back, engulfed in ball and it's paying off for him right now.
"With Alex being out the majority of the offseason, Jack led the huddle, made the calls and everybody looked to him. He was making the checks, and to be honest, he set the tone for the offseason defensively."
