The Detroit Lions’ defense was crushed by injuries throughout the 2024 season, and the linebacker position may have been hit the hardest.

Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell and the pro personnel staff were forced to reload the position throughout the year with multiple key players spending significant time sidelined with injuries. Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin all missed several games and had stints on injured reserve.

Because of this attrition, the Lions were forced to bring in multiple external options to help replenish depth and contribute. All the while, 2023 first-round pick Jack Campbell stepped up as the team’s defensive play-caller with Anzalone sidelined and grew tremendously in his second year.

Here is a review of the Lions’ performance at the linebacker position in 2024.

Reason for hope

Heading into 2025, the Lions will have the duo of Anzalone and Campbell back for its third season together. Anzalone remains the heartbeat of the defense, as his Week 18 return from injured reserve sparked the group. In that game, they held Minnesota’s high-powered offense to just nine points.

While Anzalone’s Week 11 forearm injury was an overall unfortunate development for Detroit’s defense, the opportunity for Campbell to step up and lead the defense was valuable for his development.

Though Campbell had previous experience leading the defense on a one-game basis, Anzalone’s absence allowed the Iowa product to organize the defense consistently. He improved in many metrics, including his Pro Football Focus defensive grade improving from 52.1 as a rookie to 78.7 in 2024.

Campbell had his first career 100-plus tackle season, finishing with 131. Anzalone was also steady when active, and the two figure to be huge parts of the new defensive scheme under coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.

With Anzalone remaining the leader of the group, and Sheppard being promoted from linebackers coach to coordinator, the position should be relatively stable at the top in 2025.

Malcolm Rodriguez and Derrick Barnes both had solid starts before season-ending injuries. Rodriguez is currently recovering from a torn ACL, while Barnes is a pending free agent.

Reason for worry

Pass coverage continues to be an issue for the group. Campbell and Anzalone both allowed opposing completion percentages over 70 percent across the regular and postseason. Ben Niemann and Ezekiel Turner, both of whom wound up playing big roles, did not force an incompletion on 15 total targets according to PFF.

There could also be some attrition to the depth in the offseason, including Barnes being at the end of his rookie contract. Barnes plays a unique role as the defense’s SAM linebacker and worked closely with Sheppard while developing into the top option at the spot.

Detroit has four key pieces of their defense under contract at the positon, but Barnes and multiple other veteran pieces are set to potentially hit free agency.