The Detroit Lions have been relatively healthy to start training camp. However, two notable names went down during the team’s Friday practice, and both situations will need to be monitored.
Starting defensive tackle Alim McNeil left practice with a neck injury while rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder left with a leg injury.
-LG Christian Mahogany returned to practice -DT Alim McNeill (neck) and LB Jimmy Rolder (leg) left practice Friday to be evaluated for potential injuries.
The two had been having strong training camps before the setback.
Detroit Lions Lose Two Notable Players To Injury During Training Camp
GettyAlim McNeill #54 of the Detroit Lions.
McNeil is entering a year that he himself declared to be a bounce-back. His first three years showed a player ascending in the NFL. He went from two sacks to one sack all the way up to five in his third NFL season. It gave the Lions confidence to extend him.
McNeil was sound in his fourth season, but tore his ACL after 14 starts. The timing of the injury ended up leading into his 2025 season. McNeil got off to a slow start, had a few other nagging injuries, and was never himself. He had one sack in ten games and looked as impactful as he did when he was a rookie.
So, McNeil noted that he was fully healthy this year and had the offseason to improve rather than recover. Unfortunately, it took him just two practices before another setback occurred.
Detroit has Levi Onzuwurike coming back from an ACL injury, but he has not practiced yet. So, third-year lineman Mekhi Wingo and rookie Skyler Howard-Gil will get more opportunities than expected early in the summer. The severity of the injury is currently unknown.
Lions Lose Ascending Rookie
Rolder has been a revelation as a former fourth-round pick. His first days of practice were strong as he earned second-team MIKE work behind Jack Campbell. However, his development is going to hit a bump in the road.
The team was not expecting him to get on the field early in his career, but the setback likely ended any discussion of that happening. Derrick Barnes plays the SAM role and then slides into the WILL at times when they run nickel.
Detroit is also getting Malcolm Rodriguez back from injury. He will likely man the WILL spot when the team shifts to base. There was a thought early in training camp that Rolder could push Rodriguez to get on the field as a rookie.
However, early in training camp, Rolder has not been in competition with Rodriguez and has been behind Campbell instead. That, combined with his injury, should have Rolder out of the mix until much later in the regular season.
The Lions just signed Troy Reeder. The initial thought was that Reeder would be what pushes Rolder back to the role behind Rodriguez. So, now Reeder will likely step in behind Campbell. Damone Clark and Trevor Nowaske would play the WILL and SAM, respectively.
The question will be whether Rolder does step in behind Rodriguez when he gets healthy, or if they push Reeder out of the backup MIKE role.
Rolder could be behind, but might not be completely done pushing for a starting spot.
Lions Suffer Two Concerning Training Camp Injuries