The Detroit Lions’ linebacker room has taken a hit, and with the trade deadline one week from Tuesday, Brad Holmes could have a reason to go shopping.
Jack Campbell and Jimmy Rolder both went down with significant injuries, thinning out a group that already looks stretched. Rolder is out for the rest of the season, while Campbell’s situation has been less clear after the scary moment that ended his day on Sunday.
Detroit still has Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske, all of whom have starting experience, but the healthy depth is slim. Amen Ogbongbemiga is the only other healthy linebacker currently on the active roster.
The Lions could also bring up veteran Joe Bachie, who started the year on the active roster before being released and then re-signed to the practice squad.
That makes a trade worth watching, and there are a few names who could make sense if Detroit wants help now.
One option is Daiyan Henley of the Chargers. He was an interesting draft prospect in 2023 and is now in the final year of his rookie contract.
Henley is a rangy weakside linebacker who could help shore up some of Detroit’s coverage issues. He has three career interceptions and five career sacks, showing a little bit of everything.
With the Chargers sitting at 0-7, he could become available if they decide not to extend him. For the Lions, he’d bring a different kind of athleticism to the position.
Another fit is the Dolphins’ Jordyn Brooks. He’s a veteran middle linebacker in his second season with Miami, and he would be the closest match for the role Campbell was filling.
Brooks has been steady as a tackler, posting a missed tackle rate of just 8.7 through his first six games. Detroit gets a look at him up close this week, since the Lions travel to Miami to face the Dolphins on Sunday.
Miami is 1-6 under first-year coach Jeff Hafley, and Brooks could be a player who brings back some draft capital if the Dolphins decide to move him.
Then there’s C.J. Mosley of the Jets.
He’s on his fourth NFL team in eight seasons and has been productive for a while, with at least 80 combined tackles in each of the last four seasons. Mosley is another middle linebacker option, and he has kept his missed tackle rate under 10 percent in every NFL season.
This year, that number is at 10.8 percent through eight games, but he’d still give Detroit a veteran presence in the middle. He’s also an affordable option with one year of control beyond this season.
For a team dealing with injuries at linebacker, those are the kinds of names that could come into play quickly.
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