Tag: alim mcneill

Texans shuffling their starting OL to face the Lions’ strong defensive front

The Texans are shuffling their starting left guard and center spots to face the Lions’ strong defensive front in Week 10

The Detroit Lions are forced to modify their stellar offensive line in Week 10 due to an injury to stalwart left tackle Taylor Decker. Lions coaches haven’t yet revealed their plan for replacing Decker, who is out with a shoulder injury.

Detroit’s opponent, the Houston Texans, is also shuffling the offensive line deck for the Sunday night game.

The Texans are moving regular starting center Juice Scruggs to left guard after losing regular starter Kenyon Green to an injury. Moving Scruggs allows Houston to insert second-year reserve Jarrett Patterson into the lineup as the new starting center.

The interior offensive line has been a massive issue for the Texans all season, so a change might have been in order regardless of Green’s injury. No team gives up a higher pressure rate to interior defensive linemen than Houston, though the injured Green was a big part of that. Patterson is a natural center, while Scruggs does have some starting experience at left guard late in the 2023 campaign.

Regardless of the Texans shuffling, the matchup of Alim McNeill, DJ Reader and Levi Onwuzurike against the Houston G-C-G package is perhaps Detroit’s biggest advantage (on paper anyway) in the game.

Film Study: Lions new DE Za’Darius Smith is a near-perfect fit for the Lions defense

Film Study: Lions new DE Za’Darius Smith is a near-perfect fit for the Lions defense

It’s been a few weeks in the making but the Detroit Lions finally made the trade with the Cleveland Browns for Za’Darius Smith. Adding the talented defensive end was much needed after the Lions lost Aidan Hutchinson for the season due to his leg injury.

With this addition, the Lions are getting a veteran defender that has started more than 80 games in his career. During that time, he has over 300 tackles and 65 sacks. The former 4th round pick from the 2015 NFL Draft has found success playing for the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns.

Currently, Smith is playing on a 2-year contract worth a total of $23 million dollars. For the Lions, most of that money has been paid out from the Browns so currently, Smith will count as a $605,000 cap hit for the Lions (per Spotrac). There is an option for the Lions to let him go after the season, if it isn’t a fit and it wouldn’t cost them anything in dead cap money. If the Lions decided to bring him back for 2025 to pair with Hutchinson, it would only cost them a cap hit of $5.4 million dollars.

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So, the tenured player has been a productive player and has more than a reasonable contract for the Lions. But what does he bring to the team? Let’s jump into some film to see what Smith will provide the Lions defense moving forward!

 

During the absence of Hutchinson, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has done a good job getting creative to generate pressure. Whether it be blitzing from all angles or designing a variation of line stunts, Glenn is doing whatever he can to form some type of pass rush.

Now his job gets somewhat easier to execute that game plan with the addition of Za’Darius Smith. Looking at the play above, you’ll see Za’Darius Smith (Browns DE 99) executing a T/E stunt for the Browns defense last season against the Texans.

Watch as he loops inside; he has more than enough speed and burst to get through the hole and close to the quarterback. Fortunately for the quarterback, he’s able to get the pass the ball while throwing off his back foot. However, it’s 3rd-and-long, and it’s one of those plays where Smith interrupts the timing, and it could lead to a sack or turnover. Adding that to a defense that is 2nd in the NFL with 11 interceptions on defense could do wonders for this unit.

 

Jumping into some tape from this year, one thing that immediately stood out with Smith is how he provides alignment versatility. He can play in a wide-9, tilt-5 and pretty much anywhere else a defensive coordinator wants to put him.

Looking at the play above, you’ll see Smith (Browns DE 99) align standing up over the right tackle as a 5-technique. However, he’s aimed or tilted towards the right guard. As he goes to rip across the face of the right guard, his pad level is a bit too high but he does his job by collapsing the middle as an interior pass rusher.

This works perfectly as there’s an outside rush from two defenders with wide alignments. This forces the quarterback to step up in the pocket and this is where he’s met by Smith for the sack.

 

Lastly, I want to highlight Smith’s ability to stop the run. Looking at the play above from a game against the Ravens this year, we’ll see Smith (Browns DE 99) is aligned over the tight end to the right of the formation.

Once the ball is snapped, Smith displays good burst while being able to rip across the face of the tight end. In the process, he bends down the line-of-scrimmage and helps make the tackle.

Having Smith present on the Lions defensive line won’t just help with generating a pass rush. He will also assist in stopping the run and teams will have to find ways to block him.

Overall, this deal had to be done by the Lions. They needed help up front for their defense and they should get it moving forward. So far this season, Smith has played 324 defensive snaps (per PFF).

This has led to 5 sacks and 27 pressures for Smith this season. From PFF, he’s earned a 73.6 overall grade and a 71.1 pass rush grade. Certainly, Smith is not graded as highly as Aidan Hutchinson but he will enter as the highest graded edge defender that is active on the team right now.

Pairing Smith with Alim McNeill, DJ Reader, Josh Paschal and the rest of their defensive line combinations should do wonders for this Lions defense. Having a defensive end that can turn speed-to-power, align anywhere on the line-of-scrimmage and execute the designed line stunts will be impactful. This move was the correct one by the Lions franchise and it should pay off in a big way for the next year and a half.

Dan Campbell lays out how the Lions plan to replace injured Aidan Hutchinson

Dan Campbell lays out how the Lions plan to replace injured Aidan Hutchinson

Losing Aidan Hutchinson is a huge blow for the Detroit Lions defense. However, Lions head coach Dan Campbell remains upbeat about his defensive unit and their ability to overcome the loss of the Defensive Player of the Year front-runner after Week 6.

In his weekly appearance on 97.1 The Ticket with Costa and Jensen, Campbell talked about what players need to step up. When asked about replacing Hutchinson, Campbell turned immediately to needing more from defensive tackle Alim McNeill and the rest of the current Lions.

“That production has got to go somewhere for us to stay as potent as we’ve been,” Campbell said. “So that means that Mac (McNeill), he’s going to have to play at a consistently high level. I thought he played outstanding the other day (in Dallas) and he’s going to do it again.”

The Lions quickly put their money where Campbell’s mouth was, agreeing to a 4-year extension with McNeill worth $55 million guaranteed. That’s a crystal clear indicator of the Lions’ expectations for the defensive tackle.

Campbell continued, citing current Lions Levi Onwuzurike, Josh Paschal, DJ Reader, Mitchell Agude, Isaac Ukwu and Al-Quadin Muhammad (the last three are currently on the practice squad) as players who will be expected to “step up” and do more in their own ways. He then mentioned newcomer Cam Gill and holdover James Houston as potential options.

“It’s going to take everybody on that defense to elevate a little bit,” Campbell stated. “Do a little bit more and we’ll be just fine.”

Later in the interview, Campbell was asked about what type of player from outside the organization the Lions might be looking for to help replace Hutchinson’s production.

“Honestly, I think if anything, you’re looking for a role player,” Campbell responded. “Somebody that can set an edge, that can transition into rush. It doesn’t have to be somebody — as you guys know, elite rushers and edge setters don’t just fall off trees. And if they do, you’re going to have to sell the farm to get them.

But I do think there could be some guys out there that will fit into what we’re doing defensively. They can serve a role, they can help.”

It’s difficult to interpret that answer as anything other than a clear refutation of aspirations for the likes of Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett–neither of whom is even remotely available for trade at this point.

The full interview is available to watch via YouTube.

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Alim McNeill’s display of toughness in 2023 helps earn a 4-year extension

Lions DT Alim McNeill’s display of toughness in 2023 helps earn a 4-year extension

Grit and toughness have been the mantra of this team since Dan Campbell took over as head coach three years ago. Players who have exemplified this such Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Taylor Decker, and David Montgomery have been rewarded with big contract extensions in just the past few months.

Alim McNeill is no exception as his toughness was on full display last year when he suffered an MCL (medial collateral ligament) knee sprain.

On December 3, 2023 vs the Saints, McNeill hurt his right knee late in the first half. As you can see in the video below, McNeill’s knees appear to knock together. There is no obvious evidence of any knee deformity that might have suggested an injured MCL.

McNeill likely reported medial side knee pain which could have been explained by the knee knock causing a simple contusion. A sideline exam may not have picked up any significant MCL laxity.

McNeill returned to the game with a knee brace and played almost the entire second half. It’s very likely he was playing without the knowledge that he had a significant MCL sprain.

McNeill showed great energy, desire, and power throughout the 2nd half. In the 4th quarter at the 3:07 mark, he finally limped out of the game.

After the game, he was diagnosed with an MCL sprain that was severe enough to land him on IR. He missed the next four games which is consistent with a moderately severe sprain. Turns out he had played almost an entire half of football with a significant injury.

The character McNeill displayed in that game likely made a lasting impression on the Lions – enough to reward him on October 14, 2024 with a 4-year extension worth $97 million with $55 million guaranteed.

Financially rewarding players who play with toughness and grit sets a precedent for other players to follow and has helped create the culture that Dan Campbell first set out to achieve.

Alim McNeill agrees to a 4-year contract extension with the Lions

Detroit DT Alim McNeill agrees to a 4-year contract extension with the Lions

The Detroit Lions have locked up another significant building block. Per his agent, Mike McCartney, Alim McNeill and the Lions have agreed to a four-year contract extension.

McCartney did not provide the monetary details, though reports from other sources indicate it’s a four-year deal worth $97 million. It’s a significant signing for the Lions in keeping the talented young defensive tackle in Detroit. McNeill was set to become a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.

A third-round pick out of North Carolina State in GM Brad Holmes’ first draft class back in 2021, McNeill has emerged as one of the NFL’s better interior pass rushers. He has 2.5 sacks in five games in 2024 after netting a career-high five sacks a year ago.

McNeill is the latest key Lions player to get a contract extension, joining Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jared Goff, Taylor Decker and David Montgomery, who agreed to a new extension just last week.

Lions vs Seahawks: Thursday injury report medical breakdown

Lions vs Seahawks: Thursday injury report medical breakdown for both teams entering Week 4

Thursday is the first injury report since the game is on Monday. Thankfully, there were no further surprises on the Lions report this week. The Seahawks will be without their starting RT and possibly a few other impact players as well.

DETROIT LIONS

Brian Branch LP concussion, S

Good news that Branch is presumably asymptomatic based on the LP today. This puts him on track to pass through the NFL 5-step protocol and play Monday.

However, it still might be a good idea to give him a week off because of a hit he took in game one. In that game, Branch took a hard hit to the side of the head, was down briefly, but not diagnosed with a concussion.

While there were no external signs of a concussion to warrant a diagnosis, mild concussions may only have vague symptoms that require self-reporting like headache, nausea, and fogginess. Looking back, if he indeed had some concussion symptoms, then this would be two concussions in three weeks which might warrant some precaution.

Sam LaPorta NP ankle, TE

A right low ankle sprain didn’t stop LaPorta from intermittently returning to the game last week. He won’t be fully healed by Monday night, but I expect him to play.

Frank Ragnow NP pectoral, C

Ragnow strained his left pec early in the game but battled to the finish.

Dan Campbell stated Thursday: “We’re going to put Frank down this week”. After further clarification, Ragnow is apparently not being euthanized and could return for week six vs the Cowboys.

Alim McNeill LP shoulder, DT

Dan Campbell stated Thursday: “Alim’s doing better… he’s day to day, he’ll be out there running around today, so we’re pretty good there”.

Great news for McNeill to be practicing already after missing the entire 2nd half of the Cardinals game. He might have a left AC joint sprain with how he landed on the ground. Sounds like he’s in for Monday.

Alex Anzalone FP concussion, LB

Anzalone is firmly on track to play Monday. On the sidelines vs the Cardinals, he appeared mentally sharp while calling out defensive signals and pumping up the tens of thousands of Lions fans.

Dan Skipper NP ribs, OT

Skipper landed on a defender’s elbow which likely caused a right rib bruise/strain with a small chance of a fracture. Unless something unexpected showed on XR, I expect him to be available on Monday.

Ennis Rakestraw LP hamstring, CB

After hurting his hamstring in pregame of week two, Rakestraw has missed the past two games. Not putting him on IR meant that this was likely a short-term issue. He had 3x NP last week so it’s good to see an LP today which puts him on track to make his MNF debut.

Levi Onwuzurike LP knee, DL

Onwuzurike was hurt in the 1st quarter last game and there was no video of the injury. Medical appeared to be examining his right knee. He finished out the game without noticeable problems. With an LP early in the week, I expect him to play vs the Seahawks.

Ifeatu Melifonwu NP ankle, S

With an NP, he’s likely out this week. Hopefully, the bye will help Melifonwu’s ankle.

NOTABLES UNLISTED

Terrion Arnold was hit in the right knee area last game and was gimpy for a while on the sideline. He returned to the game and played well. Unlisted suggests there is no structural damage to the knee and he may have just had a contusion.

Graham Glasgow was a surprise listing last week with a knee but still played the entire Cardinals game. Good to see the knee is off the report.

Derrick Barnes was placed on IR after being hit in the right knee with a possible MCL sprain. He has a chance to return later this year.

Marcus Davenport was placed on IR due to a left elbow injury and reportedly is out for the year.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Leonard Williams NP ribs, DE

Williams is one of the Seahawks star defenders having signed a three-year, $64.5 million contract in the offseason.

Byron Murphy NP hamstring, DT

Murphy was the 16th overall pick in the 2024 draft and has already been impactful in his rookie year. Reports are that he is expected to be out for this game.

Kenneth Walker LP oblique, RB

MSU and U of M fans are well aware of Walker’s capabilities. He missed last game but is expected to be ready for Monday night.

Uchenna Nwosu NP knee, LB

This impact LB for the Seahawks sprained his MCL in preseason on August 24 and has yet to play in the regular season. His target return was Monday night but with an NP, that makes it much less likely.

NOTABLES UNLISTED

George Fant, the starting RT, was placed on IR a few days ago due to a right knee injury. This will be the fourth straight game the Lions opponent is missing a starting OT.

The rest of the lengthy Seahawks report is here:

 

 

Lions Monday medical update for several players injured in Week 3 win

Lions Monday medical update for several players injured in Week 3 win, including Sam LaPorta, Alim McNeill, Derrick Barnes and more

There were some updates to Lions injuries on Monday including from Dan Campbell’s press conference. See my postgame article for my immediate thoughts with sideline videos.

I’m still here roasting away in Arizona so haven’t been able to watch the full game tape, but I’ve included some injury video here.

Marcus Davenport left elbow

This video shows his forearm getting chopped down while his elbow is in flexion. This mechanism could cause an elbow flexor muscle tear of the biceps or brachialis.

Unfortunately, Dan Campbell on Monday stated that “it looks like a season-ender”. Here is a detailed article by Jeff Risdon with options to fill Davenport’s role. 

Derrick Barnes right knee

The video looked like he took a shot directly to the right knee which can cause a hyperextension, bone bruise, and ligament sprains.

Campbell stated he’s “down for a significant amount of time” and alluded to a “ligament needing to scar in” and “once it heals, is he going to need surgery”. This strongly suggests a partial or complete knee ligament tear, possibly of the MCL based on the limited video.

While not great news, it does rule out worst-case scenarios like an ACL tear and gives hope he could be back this season.

Alim McNeill shoulder

He missed the 2nd half of the game, which was concerning. Good news was delivered Monday, though, as Campbell described the injury as “day to day”.

Sam LaPorta right low ankle sprain

Campbell described LaPorta as “day to day” which is consistent with a non-severe low ankle sprain. I’d expect him to get limited practices during the latter part of the week with a good chance of playing vs the Seahawks. The extra day before the next game on Monday night will serve him well.

Brian Branch concussion

Campbell stated he was “doing pretty good” on Monday. This suggests Branch is either asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic right now which increases the likelihood he’ll be ready next Monday.

Keep an eye on the initial injury report – a limited practice leans in; a no practice leans out.

 

Lions postgame injury updates after the Week 3 win in Arizona

Lions postgame injury updates after the Week 3 win in Arizona, with info on Brian Branch, Derrick Barnes and more

The Detroit Lions came out on top in a physical battle in Arizona, besting the host Cardinals 20-13. Several Lions players suffered injuries during the Week 3 game.

DT Alim McNeill: The big man suffered an upper body injury on Arizona’s final drive of the second quarter. He was ruled out with a shoulder injury after the Cardinals’ first drive of the third quarter.

LB Derrick Barnes: Starting LB Derrick Barnes left with a knee injury very early in the game and was ruled out as the team returned to the field after halftime. He was injured on a cut block.

After the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell indicated that the injuries to McNeill and Barnes were not expected to be season-ending. Campbell said of McNeill and Branch’s injuries,

“I can’t say they’re not going to be long-term. But I don’t feel like it’s something where we’re worried about season-ending.”

TE Sam LaPorta: No. 87 left on a cart just before halftime, apparently injured on the Lions’ third touchdown of the first half while blocking near the end zone. He was spotted with ice on his lower left leg on the sidelines. LaPorta did return to the game but wasn’t involved in the game plan.

CB Terrion Arnold: Rookie CB Arnold left in the first half with a knee injury but returned two drives later. He played throughout the second half.

DL Levi Onwuzurike: The versatile lineman briefly left the game in the first quarter but returned on the next series after testing out his legs on the sideline.

S Brian Branch: Branch left after a violent helmet-to-helmet collision late in the game. The team announced shortly after the game that Branch is in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

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Film Review: Defensive end Nate Lynn impresses in Detroit Lions debut

Film Review: Defensive end Nate Lynn impresses in Detroit Lions debut before leaving with a shoulder injury

Over the last three years under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes, I always pay attention to the players they take later in the NFL Draft. In addition to that, it’s important to watch the players they sign as undrafted free agents.

Much of that is due to their ability to identify talent and coach them up. We saw them do this with players such as Malcolm Rodriguez in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft or Jerry Jacobs as a UDFA in the 2021 NFL Draft.

For this season, the two players I kept circling were WR Isaiah Williams from Illinois and DL Nate Lynn from William & Mary. I’ve highlighted Williams already this summer. As for Lynn, well his college tape is scarce and I figured he’d get plenty of chances to prove himself this preseason.

In his first game against the Giants, he did just that. Finishing with two tackles, one tackle for loss and a sack, it was a promising debut for Lynn. Unfortunately, he has suffered a season ending shoulder injury and we won’t see him until next year. That said, let’s dive into some film to see what the Lions will be missing now that Lynn is on the shelf with the injury.

One of the first plays we saw from Lynn (DE #57) was the one highlighted above. In a wide-9 alignment against two tight ends, you’ll see Lynn to the right of the offense. Once the ball is snapped, the offensive line reaches to their right and the quarterback fakes the hand-off to the running back.

Working up field, you’ll see Lynn quickly using his right hand to rip through not one but two block attempts. One block from a tight end and the other from a running back. As he gets clear, he sees the quarterback step up into the pocket and from there, he quickly closes on the quarterback and smacks the ball out of his hand.

While this was marked as an incomplete pass, it’s a heads up play from Lynn. It’s also one that can certainly make a difference when he’s on the field with players such as Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill and D.J. Reader.

Flipping from the right side of the offense to the left side, you’ll see Lynn aligned as a 7-technique. Prior to the snap, you can see Lynn switch his feet and this helps him setup using his inside hand to rush the passer.

Once the ball is snapped, he bursts up field with good speed and due to that he forces the left tackle to turn his body to the outside to stop that speed rush. However, Lynn counters back inside with a beautiful spin move. Closing to the quarterback, Lynn is just about a step late from getting to the quarterback. That said, it does feel like his presence was felt on this rush and it forced the quarterback to rush this throw.

Lastly, I want to focus on the recorded sack from Lynn in this game against the Giants. While much of this sack was due to Brodric Martin getting to the quarterback with a good push-pull move over the center, Lynn gets credit for the sack.

Aligned over the left tackle, you’ll see Lynn get up field and hit the left tackle square. In the process, he tries to execute a rip move and once that gets stopped, he quickly tries to counter with a spin move. As he goes for that spin move, he gets hit by the left guard.

Fortunately, he showcases good balance and keeps his feet while closing to the quarterback. Once the quarterback slips through the hands of Martin, he’s met by Lynn and is taken down for the sack.

It’s unfortunate that Lynn got hurt because it was a strong debut for him in Detroit. He looked like he could compliment the defensive lineman that are established in Detroit. Meanwhile, he could have been a likely candidate to earn some of the lost reps from the injury sustained to John Cominsky.

For now, we’ll have to wait until next season for Nate Lynn and the hope is that he doesn’t lose any of the juice he provided the Lions from the first preseason game.

Lions DT Alim McNeill not worried about any contract talk

Lions DT Alim McNeill not worried about any potential contract extension, focusing on earning it on the field instead

The Detroit Lions media staff typically sets up the post-practice interview subjects before practice starts, barring something exceptional happening in the training camp session. On Monday, the first padded practice of camp, the Lions media staff had already tabbed defensive tackle Alim McNeill to speak with us before the exceptional news happened.

That news, of course, was the three-year contract extension with left tackle Taylor Decker. The new deal with Decker means everyone who needed to get paid, and who was eligible to be paid as a franchise building block this offseason, has gotten paid — except McNeill.

Entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract, McNeill has emerged as one of the NFL’s bright young standouts at his position. Despite almost no help from anyone around him on the defensive interior, McNeill managed five sacks and a more polished all-around impact in his third year.

McNeill is poised for a huge season, which leads many to believe he’s also poised for a huge new contract. Yet McNeill himself doesn’t seem concerned at all with the business side of his career, not while training camp is going on.

“Honestly, I told my agent not to talk to me about that,” McNeill said after practice. “I’m in training camp right now, so I’m not even thinking about that. I’ve got to play good. I’m worried about winning this year. Whatever happens, happens. But I haven’t done any of that.”

McNeill has impressed all offseason, and the first padded practice was no exception. His combination of quickness, agility and brute strength is a very difficult assignment for blockers, and McNeill’s subtle work on his technique has made him a real force inside.

He’s clearly energized by the addition of veteran DT DJ Reader, who continues to rehab from a torn quad injury and hasn’t been cleared to practice yet. McNeill talked about Reader’s impact, as well as the bump his confidence has received from new DL coach Terrell Williams, too.

He knows the money will be there, and he knows he wants to stay and grow in Detroit. McNeill also smartly knows the best way to get paid is to keep on playing at a high level, and that is his sole focus right now.

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