The Detroit Lions have the worst defense in the NFL through the first four games of the season. Head coach Dan Campbell is pressing all the buttons to give his team a boost before Week 5, their final game before going on bye. Campbell already pointed to the bye week as when he will be considering bigger changes on the defensive side of the ball.
In the meantime, Campbell is trying to turn things around with personnel changes. On Wednesday, he said that he sees rookie defensive back Keith Abney II and veteran safety Jalen Mills as two players who could take on a bigger role, per The Athletic's Colton Pouncy.
Jalen Mills & Keith Abney could play more snaps starting in Week 5
It makes sense that Campbell is looking for answers in the defensive backfield. If he isn't going to fire defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, then adjustments, both in terms of scheme and personnel, are the only way to give the defense a boost.
Whose snaps Abney and Mills will take is unclear, but there are plenty of underperforming Lions who could find themselves marginalized in the rotation.
Against the Panthers, DJ Reed played all the available defensive snaps on the outside, while Roger McCreary and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. split the CB2 snaps. McCreary also took a lot of snaps at nickel corner. None of the three defenders stood out as particularly impactful on Sunday.
At safety, Chuck Clark and Christian Izien started and played the lion's share of snaps. Clark has been solid since the start of the season, but Izien struggled against the Panthers, receiving the lowest defensive grade among starters on Pro Football Focus.
So, it's clear that the Lions could benefit from trying different looks on the secondary. Abney hasn't gotten defensive snaps since Week 1, and he was exclusively used in the slot. He could perhaps take some of McCreary or Izien's snaps against Arizona.
Mills, on the other hand, made his season debut in Week 4 after being elevated from the practice squad. Since he finished last season with the Lions, however, he has a lot of experience with the defensive scheme and familiarity with his teammates. How Campbell and Sheppard plan to use him remains to be seen.
There is pressure on Campbell and Sheppard to deliver on Sunday. Another loss will push the Lions into complete chaos heading into the bye week. It's unclear whether Abney or Mills can give the Lions what they are looking for, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
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