The Detroit Lions may have righted the ship and won three straight games, but they are now dealing with a myriad of injuries. The win against the Vikings in Week 8 was particularly costly, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
While we await an update on Jack Campbell's condition, the Lions have already ruled out rookie Jimmy Rolder for the season. This creates a big hole in the linebacker rotation.
On Monday, the Lions signed veteran linebacker KJ Britt off the Patriots' practice squad to add more depth to the position.
The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer who played in 59 games with the franchise in four years will be reuniting with former teammate Devin White and defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers in Detroit. The 27-year-old defender should provide security as an emergency backup and play significant snaps on special teams.
Lions host LB Owen Pappoe on Tuesday after signing KJ Britt
But the Lions are seemingly not done adding. Per team insider Justin Rogers, they hosted LB Owen Pappoe on a visit on Tuesday.
Pappoe was a fifth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2023 NFL Draft. After being a reliable reserve for three seasons, he was released after training camp this season. He was claimed off the waivers by the Titans, appeared in one game in Tennessee before being released in early October.
Throughout his career, Pappoe has played almost exclusively on special teams, and one has to imagine that this is what Campbell and Holmes have in mind when targeting him.
We don't know anything else about this visit, but it suggests that the Lions are casting a wide net when trying to bolster their depth.
This is in line with what head coach Dan Campbell talked about on Monday. He said that they weren't ruling out external help and were going to discuss things with GM Brad Holmes to explore all avenues.
In the immediate term, Lions fans can expect to see Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske getting extended runs. Amen Ogbongbemiga and Joe Bachie are also available for bigger roles, but the Lions' need for more help in the position is obvious.
How much Britt, or Pappoe if he is signed, can help remains to be seen. Alternatively, the Lions could target a linebacker between now and next week's trade deadline, but finding a true upgrade may be easier said than done. Once again, the Lions have to have a "next man up" mentality and have to keep finding a way to win, regardless of who is filling in at linebacker.
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