The Detroit Lions added four new defenders since Saturday. Dan Campbell suggested all four could play vs. the Packers.
The Detroit Lions have scrambled to add healthy players on the defensive side of the ball this week. Last week against the Chicago Bears, the Lions lost four players to injury: defensive tackles Levi Onwuzurike and DJ Reader, defensive end Josh Paschal, and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez. All four players missed the first two practices of the week, and Reader is the only player who has an outside chance of playing. Add those four injuries to a unit that is already missing Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Derrick Barnes, Alex Anzalone, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, and it’s no wonder that the Lions went shopping for players in the past few days.
Since Saturday, the Lions have made the following roster moves to help out their shorthanded defense:
- Signed DL Myles Adams from Seahawks practice squad
- Signed LB Kwon Alexander from Broncos practice squad
- Signed DL Jonah Williams from Rams practice squad
- Signed DB/LB Jamal Adams to practice squad
All four of these players have had less than a week to prepare for the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, but coach Dan Campbell suggested they may need all four of them this week.
“I think there’s a chance all four could help us,” Campbell said.
That’s a big task for defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to get them ready in time, but Glenn isn’t looking for these new additions to necessarily master Detroit’s playbook. Playing fast and aggressive is more important to him.
“It’s not the playbook that’s the most important thing for these guys to come in and learn, it’s the style of play that we have,” Glenn said. “And that’s easy to learn because once you see it and once we show it to them, they understand, listen, this is how we play. We can shrink the playbook down as much as we want, but it’s the way that you play that’s the most important.”
It also helps that they’ve brought in guys who can quickly adapt. Alexander has experience in Glenn’s defense from their shared time with the New Orleans Saints. Jamal Adams also has a close relationship with Glenn and has 81 starts under his belt. Jonah Williams has 22 starts of his own and Lions general manager Brad Holmes knows him well from scouting him during the draft process back in 2020 with the Rams.
Additionally, the Lions have a crack team of assistant coaches who they’ve heavily leaned on to get all of these new players up to speed. That includes outside linebackers/defensive assistant coach David Carrao, assistant linebackers coach Shaun Dion Hamilton, and assistant defensive line coach Cameron Davis.
“They will grind these guys as much as they can to get them to understand exactly what we’re doing,” Glenn said. “They know exactly the vision that I have on defense, and they coach it exactly like I see it. That’s a good thing. Once you have guys across the board that’s on the same page, they know exactly what I’m looking for and they coach it to that point, all I can do is give those guys props because they do a hell of a job and I’m glad they’re on my side.”
These new players will have their hands full with the Packers on Thursday. Green Bay comes into Ford Field with the eighth-highest scoring offense that ranks fourth in DVOA efficiency and eighth in EPA/play.
But Campbell was quick to remind reporters that the Lions still have a strong core of players on defense, too.
“Let’s not forget, we’ve still got (Brian Branch) BB, we’ve got Branch, we’ve got Jack (Campbell), we’ve got Alim (McNeill), we’ve got Za’Darius (Smith), who’s new, but yet he’s been here for a while now,” Campbell said. “You’ve got Carlton (Davis III), you’ve got (Terrion Arnold) TA, Amik (Robertson).”
Will that be enough for the Lions to pick up another huge divisional win? Campbell certainly believes so.
“The extra pieces that come in, they’ve got plenty of guys who understand what we’re trying to get done around them, plus this coaching staff has done a great job, been burning the midnight oil getting these guys up to date, getting them ready to go,” Campbell said. “And they’re football players, so we’re going to let them cut it loose.”
