The Lions had another practice in pads on Tuesday, but the day didn’t end cleanly for one of the defense’s key competition pieces. Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez left practice early and was being evaluated for an ankle injury, according to reports.
That matters because Rodriguez is right in the middle of a fight for the third linebacker job in Kelvin Sheppard’s base 4-3 scheme. Detroit is counting on that spot to sort itself out in camp, and Rodriguez was expected to be in the mix.
Rodriguez has already lived plenty of football in Detroit. A sixth-round pick in 2022, he carved out a starting role as a rookie when Sheppard was the position coach and turned in a strong first season.
But the roster around him shifted quickly after that. The Lions used a first-round pick on Jack Campbell the next offseason, Derrick Barnes developed into another reliable option, and Rodriguez’s role shrank behind Campbell, Barnes and veteran Alex Anzalone.
Then came a rough 2024. Rodriguez opened the year as a backup, got pushed into action when Barnes and Anzalone landed on injured reserve, and then his own season ended on Thanksgiving with a torn ACL. That injury carried into the start of 2025, and he didn’t make his first appearance until Week 12 against the New York Giants.
Across his career, Rodriguez has 163 combined tackles, three sacks and 11 tackles for loss. He also picked off a pass in the Lions’ NFC Championship loss to the San Francisco 49ers in 2023.
Detroit brought him back this offseason on a one-year contract after his rookie deal expired, and he’s now battling for that third linebacker spot next to Campbell, who was an All-Pro in 2025, and Barnes. Devin White is also in the mix, and he brings a decorated résumé after setting a new career high in tackles last season with the Las Vegas Raiders and earning Second Team All-Pro honors earlier in his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Lions have already been dealing with linebacker injuries in camp. Rookie Jimmy Rolder is expected to miss time with a hamstring injury, and Detroit responded by signing White to help fill out the group. The team is also working through injuries involving Derrick Moore, Anthony Firkser and Sione Vaki.
In Other News...
Tom Izzo Addressed One Last Michigan State Roster Question
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Izzo said he has already recruited players for the spots that opened up and is no longer in a position to keep adding. For Michigan State, that means the last lingering personnel question has been answered for now, and the program will turn its attention fully to the roster it plans to take into the season. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Fall Camp Opens With One Huge Receiver Question
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The biggest subplot is how the wideout rotation settles in, with several players competing for roles and the staff still waiting to see how the room comes together. Rodney Bullard Jr. is also part of that conversation as the Spartans await an NCAA ruling on his waiver, adding another layer to a position group that already has plenty to prove. Elsewhere, Michigan State is trying to sharpen its pass rush with a mix of returnees and transfers while also getting a look at unproven tight ends who could push for playing time. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State And Michigan Are Battling For An Izzo Type Big
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Awakas profile fits the mold Izzo has traditionally valued in the paint. At 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, he brings the size, physicality and rim protection that tend to translate well in East Lansing, and that makes him an obvious name to watch as the Spartans shape their 2027 class. The timing of his decision remains unclear, and Michigan States pursuit is part of a broader picture that still leaves the staffs top center target for that cycle unresolved. [Read more 🡒]