The Detroit Lions continue to scour the market for some depth at multiple positions, and their hunting may have led them to a top name on defense.
Detroit, thin up front along the defensive line and particularly the middle, got a closer look at veteran tackle Malcom Brown on Thursday, August 25. That was according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
The Lions hosted free agent DT Malcom Brown on a visit.
“The Lions hosted free agent DT Malcom Brown on a visit,” Yates tweeted.
Brown has a history with Aaron Glenn and Dan Campbell given he played in New Orleans in 2019 and 2020 with the duo in tow there. Whether that makes him more likely to be signed remains to be seen, but it’s clear he could be a fit for Detroit’s defense.
Campbell Hinted Lions Could Need Depth
Seeing Brown’s visit is not all that surprising given the fact the Lions have been dropping hints they could be in the market for more depth up front.
Speaking on Thursday, July 28, Dan Campbell was asked about where the team is at in the trenches. As he said at the time, the team might need to find a little more beef up front in order to do what they need to do this season.
“I think it goes without saying you better be disruptive. We can’t allow ourselves to get road-graded. I do think that we may need a little bit more girth up front. I wouldn’t say we’re not looking for that or won’t be,” Campbell admitted. “We signed (Isaiah) Buggs. He helps us a little bit there. If you’re not careful and you don’t have enough in there, that’s what (John) Penisini was. He could anchor in there and he could swallow up blocks and he could run the line of scrimmage a little bit. Between he and Alim (McNeill) it was hard to run in the middle. So that’ll always be in the back of our mind.”
Penisini recently revealed his retirement, so that leaves a hole. Complicating matters is the injury to Josh Paschal, who is on PUP recovering from sports hernia surgery. He will miss the first four games of the year. The same is true for Levi Onwuzurike.
“It’s something that we got to be aware of and look, Alim (McNeill) continues to grow. There’s things he does in there. Levi (Onwuzurike’s) got to be able to hold up in there too now, and there’ll be some stuff he’s going to have to play in there,” Campbell said. “He may have to play the nose or the shade as well, but the good news is, he’s a big man. He’s explosive and he just continues to grow week to week on his technique. That’ll help us. It’s really, we have to hit the blocks. If we’re late off the ball or we’re not explosive, we’re not taking it to the the double teams, we’re going to be in trouble.”
All of the players Campbell mentioned could indeed step up, but at this point, it seems as if the team is at least going to be thinking about adding some depth help in the days ahead up front. Brown could be the name they have in mind.
Brown’s Career Stats & Highlights
In terms of what he brings to the mix, Brown is a player who has a lot of talent given he is a former first-round pick in 2015 of the New England Patriots. He is also still young, given he is just 28.
While in New England, Brown won two Super Bowls, and stayed with the team for four seasons. After that, he signed with the New Orleans Saints, where he stayed from 2019 to 2020. Last season, he played
Statistically, Brown has had an up and down career. He has collected 304 tackles, 13.5 sacks and has collected 4 fumble recoveries. He is known more for being physical at the point of attack and eating space:
Brown has a history with a few coaches from the Lions, and also fits at a position of need. This could make him a player the team targets if they elect to go with an outside signing up front.
READ NEXT: Lions Instructed to Trade Veteran Defender
Comments
Lions Host Former 1st Round Pick Defensive Lineman to Visit: Report