The Detroit Lions are wrapping up OTAs on Thursday, which is the last chance for the media to see the players and coaches interact with each other before training camp begins in July.
OTAs are a great opportunity to see where various players are in their development, while also receiving updates on injured players looking to return to the field. On Thursday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell gave a pessimistic injury update on one key defender to the media, who played a notable role on defense last season.
Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez’s Potential Return Delayed Until November
According to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard, Campbell said linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez will not start the 2025 regular season out. The Detroit head coach added, “Conservatively, November,” when asked about Rodriguez’s potential return.
It makes sense why Campbell put the 26-year-old linebacker around November as he rehabs from a torn right ACL he suffered on Thanksgiving Day in Week 13 against the Chicago Bears.
Before going down with the season-ending knee injury, Rodriguez was playing well. He had 43 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and a pass deflection in 10 games (six starts).
Rodriguez was pulling double duty last season, playing 49 percent of defensive and 53 percent of special-teams snaps.
Now the Lions will have to hope someone else in the linebacker unit can step up in Rodriguez’s place. Potential candidates to have an increased role are Ezekiel Turner and Zach Cunningham.
The Lions re-signed Turner to a one-year deal earlier this offseason after playing nine games last season. Detroit signed Turner to its practice squad in November after getting released by the Seattle Seahawks in late October. The Lions promoted Turner to the active roster days later, where he made his Detroit debut in Week 10 against the Houston Texans.
Despite only a short stint with the Lions last year, Turner posted 12 combined tackles, three quarterback hits, and made a quick impression on the coaching staff.
Meanwhile, Cunningham spent the past season with the Denver Broncos (seven games) and has a ton of NFL experience. While the Lions will miss Rodriguez to start the season, they might have some options on the bench to hold down the fort.