Jalen Reeves-Maybin has been one of the bright spots for the Detroit Lions defense in 2021. A seldom-used afterthought in his seasons under Matt Patricia, Reeves-Maybin has blossomed into a quality starting linebacker under new head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
The impact Reeves-Maybin has made in his fifth season in Detroit is undeniable. Aside from his production, No. 44 has emerged as a veteran leader and valuable mentor this season. His coordinator certainly values Reeves-Maybin’s presence in the Lions lineup.
“Man, that guy is a football player,” Glenn said enthusiastically. “The thing is he loves football and you clearly see that when he’s on the field. Anytime you have a player of that magnitude, you can’t help but just put him on the field. You can’t help but just play him. And, I know he was relegated to special teams years before, but he’s shown he can be a starting inside linebacker.”
Reeves-Maybin will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but Glenn doesn’t want his rising young standout anywhere but in Detroit in 2022 and beyond.
“Obviously, we want the player back,” Glenn stated. “because he’s a good player.”
In 13 games this season, Reeves-Maybin has 67 total tackles, four PDs, two tackles-for-loss and two forced fumbles. All those figures are nearly double his previous career highs.