The Detroit Lions linebacker room has had a rough history. Fans remembering the days of Jarrad Davis, Jahlani Tavai, and Christian Jones causes some anxiety. Probably the last time the Lions had a solid linebacker corps was with DeAndre Levy and Stephen Tulloch.
However, General Manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell have worked hard to bring in talented players to improve the linebacker room through free agency and the draft. “Dan’s Guys,” such as Alex Anzalone, have been signed to bridge the gap between young players and coaches, while players like Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, and Jack Campbell have been drafted to fit the culture and defensive scheme. With the guidance of Kelvin Sheppard, who has experience playing linebacker, the Lions have been able to turn these players into a cohesive unit to strengthen the defense.
In their first preseason game against the New York Giants, the Lions linebackers performed impressively. Barnes played with the green dot and performed as expected, while Campbell was the top-graded Lions defender by PFF, and the highest-graded rookie of the week. He showcased his toughness, awareness, and athleticism, leaving opposing offenses nervous.
Reeves-Maybin and Rodriguez also demonstrated the depth of the Lions’ linebacker room. Reeves-Maybin led the Lions in tackles, and Rodriguez provided the power that fans loved from last season. Although Anthony Pittman and Trevor Nowaske showed potential, their special team abilities were more important at this point in the depth chart.
The Lions linebackers had three of the top six PFF-graded defensive players: Campbell, Barnes, and Reeves-Maybin. The middle of the field has been shored up with these players, and Sheppard has coached them up to a standard of excellence. Coach Campbell has recognized Sheppard’s promising work and believes that he is destined for coordinator, and maybe even head coach, someday.
The trust he has earned from everyone in the Lions organization is a testament to the excellent work he has done with the players in his room. With the linebackers’ impressive performance so far this preseason, there is no doubt that Sheppard deserves recognition amongst the Lions faithful.