The Detroit Lions are decimated by injuries on the defensive side of the ball, which were only made worse by the Brian Branch suspension ahead of Week 7. The defensive backfield is short-handed, and going up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this could provide serious problems. Fortunately, however, there was some positive injury news on Tuesday, with regard to defensive tackle Alim McNeill.
Dan Campbell said on Tuesday that he doesn't see Marcus Davenport coming off the IR list and doesn't expect Terrion Arnold or Avonte Maddox to play, per The Athletic's Colton Pouncy. But the Lions head coach said that they are "hopeful" that McNeill will make his season debut this week, per ESPN's Eric Woodyard.
Alim McNeill's Return Will Eventually Bench Rookie DT Tyleik Williams
Even though the Lions' defensive line has been playing well above expectations to start the season, the return of a quality option and a proven impact player like McNeill is always welcome. Before suffering a torn ACL in Week 15 last year, the 25-year-old was in the midst of another strong season, putting up 3.5 sacks, seven QB hits, and seven tackles for loss in 14 games, receiving a 79.6 defensive grade on Pro Football Focus.
McNeill's return has been a long time coming. The talented defensive tackle was designated for return before Week 5, opening the Lions' 21-day activation window. In fact, Campbell had given a 50% chance for McNeill to play against the Bengals. Two weeks since then, and McNeill still hasn't made his season debut.
Considering how McNeill hadn't played in over nine months and the Lions' defensive line was punching above its weight, Campbell and DC Kelvin Sheppard's decision not to rush him back made plenty of sense. Currently, the Lions have the fifth-best run defense and the second-best pass rush in the league per PFF grades.
In McNeill's absence, rookie DT Tyleik Williams has been getting valuable starting experience. Detroit's first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft hasn't been filling up the stat sheet so far, not recording a tackle for loss, sack, or a QB hit despite playing 50% of the team's defensive snaps. McNeill, on the other hand, can change games with his defensive playmaking. Once he is up to speed, he will likely take over the starting spot from Williams, so getting him out there in Week 7 and letting him get as many snaps as he can handle will be a good start.