The Detroit Lions are riding a three-game winning streak into Week 5's clash with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Lions will be shorthanded on Monday, as they've been hit with some injuries on the defensive side of the ball, with cornerback D.J. Reed landing on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury and safety Kerby Joseph missing two days of practice.
While there's some uncertainty in the secondary, there's a chance that defensive tackle Alim McNeill suits up on Sunday. The Athletic's Colton Pouncy reported on Friday that head coach Dan Campbell says it's a 50/50 chance that McNeill will play this week, as he's pushing to suit up.
Eric Woodyard of ESPN added that Campbell says McNeill will get more reps in Friday's practice, but there's still no decision on whether he'll be active or not.
Alim McNeill Could Return for Lions in Week 5
McNeill tore his ACL back in Dec. 15 against the Buffalo Bills and used the past several months to rehab his way back. On Wednesday, Detroit decided to open up its 21-day evaluation window on McNeill, which allowed him to practice for the first time since December. He's still on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, so he would need to be activated to the active roster, but this is a step in the right direction.
McNeill has been in the Motor City for the last four years and has developed into a quality force along the interior. In 61 career games (50 starts), he has supplied 137 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 27 quarterback hits, and 11.5 sacks. There's a reason why the Lions gave him a four-year, $97 million extension that featured $55 million guaranteed.
Tyleik Williams, DJ Reader, and Roy Lopez have been the three players who have played the most plays at defensive tackle for the Lions. There could be some better play inside, as Williams has a 48.9 overall grade on Pro Football Focus (100th among 119 graded defensive linemen) and Lopez has a 52.5 overall grade (94th among 119 graded defensive linemen).
With room for improvement, the Lions are thrilled that McNeill is on the verge of returning. Whether or not he's able to return remains to be seen. Even when he suits up, he'll be on a snap count as he ramps things up, but having one of your better defenders on the field is a bonus — especially as the Lions look to be Super Bowl contenders in 2025.