RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesCHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 4: Trevor Nowaske #53 of the Detroit Lions lines up during the first half of the NFL football game against the Chicago Bears at Solider Field on January 4, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Lions’ linebacker group has quietly turned into a logjam. Between making an impact on defense and an impact on special teams, the Lions’ coaching staff will have some difficult decisions to make when roster cuts roll around.
The Lions are lucky to have one of the league’s best in Jack Campbell, but the rest of the depth chart has a lot to prove. Can Derrick Barnes have a rebound season to justify his expensive contract extension? Can Malcolm Rodriguez show that a subpar 2025 campaign was just rust from a prior ACL injury? Which of their depth players can stake a claim on a coveted roster spot?
With more training camp and preseason still to come, we can hope for some clarity, but we could just as easily be left with a tough decision: whom to keep and whom to cut?
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Which linebackers will make the Detroit Lions 53-man roster?
My answer: My current guess is six: Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, Damone Clark, Trevor Nowaske, and Troy Reeder. The first three names on that list are obvious and require no explanation. The back half of the linebacker room is where the discussion starts.
In the past, the Lions have liked to keep six linebackers in total. In 2025, the team kept six linebackers despite an initial roster of just 50 players. The same can be said about 2024 and 2023—that is three seasons in a row with six linebackers on the Week 1 roster. We can use 2025 as a template for what the Lions like: they have typically kept three starting-caliber players (Campbell, Barnes, and Alex Anzalone), one backup with defensive capabilities (Zach Cunningham), and two backups with special teams roles (Grant Stuard and Nowaske).
As it stands, the Lions currently have 10 linebackers on the 90-man roster and you could make a genuine case for all of them. Starting trio of Campbell, Barnes, and Rodriguez aside, you have rookie Jimmy Rolder, a player that would undoubtedly be a roster lock if not for an injury with an as-of-yet unknown timeline . Then there is Clark, a veteran with a mix of defensive experience, special teams experience, and youth. Trevor Nowaske returns for yet another season in Detroit as a player that has grown into a valued special teamer with SAM potential on defense. These three are my favorite bubble players to make the roster, pending Rolder’s injury status.
Joining the group are three veterans in Devin White, Joe Bachie, and Reeder. White is the newest of the signings and is coming off a 174-tackle season, albeit to poor performance grades . Bachie has bounced around the league, starting the occasional game but largely being a special teams contributor. Reeder, meanwhile, had been a frequent starter for the Los Angeles Rams since 2019, but 2025 was the first year in which he was largely relegated to special teams duties. Rounding out the linebacker room is undrafted rookie Erick Hunter, a player with an intriguing athletic profile and a strong developmental ceiling.
Because Rolder’s status is presently up in the air and it prompted the Lions to sign White immediately, I think there is a decent chance he starts the season on the Injured Reserve. This would cause him to miss at least four games, an unfortunate circumstance but not a career-altering one. Odds are the Lions will not need Rolder in the early part of the season, especially if he is unable to play during training camp and preseason.
That leaves me at five linebackers (Campbell, Barnes, Rodriguez, Clark, and Nowaske) and despite the Lions shifting away from three-linebacker sets, I still think they will want to keep six. I give my early nod to Reeder. Because Clark could realistically be a solid LB4 on defense and a solid contributor on special teams, I think the value of keeping a defense-only option like White is greatly reduced. That increases the value of Reeder, who could step into a role on defense or special teams when called upon. It is also worth remembering that the Lions only signed White after Rolder’s injury, whereas Reeder was signed at the start of training camp—sure, this is only a difference of a few days, but White’s signing was reactionary, while Reeder’s was not, perhaps hinting at Reeder being a more coveted option.
How will the Lions’ crowded linebacker room shake out? Let us know in the comments below.
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