The Detroit Lions’ SAM linebacker role has been difficult to fill since Derrick Barnes’ injury, but the Lions think they have their replacement.
All offseason, we heard the Detroit Lions hype up Derrick Barnes heading into his fourth year. He was a surprise contributor in 2023, playing well enough to split time with first-round pick Jack Campbell. But heading into 2024, the Lions had found a very specific role for Barnes—the SAM linebacker spot—that he was uniquely qualified for. The difficult spot required pass rushing chops and the athleticism to drop into coverage, while also possessing the physical mentality to be able to set the edge in the run game.
So when Barnes went down with a season-ending injury in Week 3, it was devastating for Detroit. It wasn’t clear the Lions had anyone who could replace what Barnes could do, and we saw the Lions try a replacement-by-committee approach the following week.
It turns out the Lions may have an adequate Barnes replacement, and he was someone who didn’t even open the year with the team. Last season, the Lions loved what undrafted rookie Trevor Nowaske did for the team, but when they had to make tough roster decisions late in the year for their playoff push, they had to cut him, and he was claimed off waivers before they had a chance to stash him on the practice squad. This year, they got an opportunity to make a waiver claim for Nowaske just before the regular season began, and he’s already becoming a key piece to what they do.
Nowaske saw his first action in the week following Barnes’ injury. It was a mere eight snaps, but he turned those opportunities into three pressures and a 90.0 PFF grade. Understandably, he saw a huge increase in playing time the following week, logging 29 defensive snaps and tallying his first-ever sack. That momentum continued this past week. While his playing time dropped to 14 snaps (likely due to opponent-specific strategy), he once again made a big impact, including making the game-sealing sack on the Vikings’ Hail Mary attempt.
“Mentally, he can handle everything. I mean, multiple spots, the whole nine,” linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard said. “He’s been this way since his rookie training camp. It’s a big reason why not only myself, AG (Aaron Glenn), Dan (Campbell), but the front office all were very eager to get him back. The second we could, we went out and did that.”
As defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is accustomed to do, he’s attempted to pump the brakes on Nowaske. It’s certainly worth pointing out that not only is this Nowaske’s first NFL action on defense, but he comes from Saginaw Valley State, a significant drop down in talent level.
“We’re going to continue to try to up his role and try to help him be the player that we know that he can be, but, again, we want to make sure we take that slowly,” Glenn said.
But Nowaske isn’t just getting help and support from his coaches. Despite the season-ending injury, Barnes has popped in and out of the facility to help Nowaske learn the role that Barnes had mastered.
“He pops into meetings, he’s around a lot. He’s talking to the guys,” Sheppard said. “He’s a direct influence on Trevor Nowaske. He’s texting pregame, postgame, so he’s right there with us every step of the way.”
Another challenge facing Nowaske is the adjustment offenses will make now that there are three games of NFL tape on him. It’s one thing to make a good splash when there’s no film out on you. The challenge, per Sheppard, is how Nowaske plays now that he’s no longer a secret to opposing offenses.
“He’s now introduced himself to the world and to the NFL,” Sheppard said. “So now, it’s not going to be a surprise, Trevor, when you line up. They’re going to be buckled up, they’re going to be ready to play you. And that’s okay. That’s all good. It’s the NFL. He’s going to be ready to meet that match.”
All that being said, it certainly seems like the significant SAM role is Nowaske’s to keep. The Lions cross-train their entire linebacking corps, so that every player is able to step into any position when needed. But when asked this week if Jack Campbell could be ready for more SAM linebacker snaps this season after getting just a taste last year, Sheppard said it’s going to be hard to wrestle that role away from Nowaske.
“If Trevor Nowaske continues to play the way he’s playing, the only way Jack ends up out there is if Trevor glitches out on me. And that player has ice water in his veins, so I doubt that Trevor does that.”
