Lions set to get sneaky boost as overlooked defender nears return from injury
The Detroit Lions went into their Week 8 bye on a high note with a 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The defense, with a secondary depleted by injuries and the suspension of Brian Branch, especially stepped up.
Heading into that game, with the bye week around the corner, head coach Dan Campbell was asked about linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez as he seemingly nears a return from the torn ACL he suffered last Thanksgiving.
"Yeah, we're hoping after the bye (to start Rodriguez's 21-day return window), we can start rolling him out there a little bit", Campbell said.
Rodriguez underwent a second surgery to clean up scar tissue in his injured right knee during the offseason. That didn't appear likely to impact the expectation he'd be able to return sometime in November, approaching one year since his injury, and Campbell's comments confirmed that.
Malcolm Rodriguez is more than ready to return to action
While the Lions' secondary became the "Legion of Whom" against the Buccaneers, the linebacking corps has been a core strength of the defense. Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, and Derrick Barnes are all having nice seasons (No. 5, No. 23, and No. 33, respectively, among off-ball linebackers by overall Pro Football Focus grade entering Week 8).
So, barring injury (knock on wood), Rodriguez will likely slide into a role as a core special teamer when he's ready to play. That said, he has been effective filling in when needed since he started 15 games as a rookie in 2022.
Before he was injured last season, with Barnes out due to an early-season knee injury and Anzalone later suffering a broken arm, Rodriguez had 43 total tackles and two sacks over 10 games (six starts) and 318 defensive snaps.
The fourth-year man said he's been cleared for everything but football activity for more than a month and has been waiting "to plug in at the perfect time to come back."
"I'm ready for it," Rodriguez said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "It's one of those things where I want to get thrown into the fire and see what it does. I don't want to just ease into it, I kind of want to go full force."
Every case has to be treated uniquely (see Alim McNeill), but the Lions tend to slow-play putting players back on the field when they're coming back from major injuries. So it's possible that Rodriguez's three-week window to be activated is taken right to the end, and his playing time may be carefully managed for a game or two. But as expected, "Rodrigo" has no interest in being eased into action.
Pittsburgh Steelers get major injury updates on two big time Packers playmakers
The Green Bay Packers should have most of their top weapons against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Wide receivers Matthew Golden and Christian Watson were both listed as questionable to play against the Steelers, but are expected to play.
Watson had been rehabbing to return from a torn ACL he suffered last December. Now, he will be back on Sunday, though it is unknown if he will be on a snap count at all this week.
Watson is the Packers’ size threat who can win down the field. A 6-foot-5 receiver who runs a 4.36, Watson is the ideal player to defeat man coverage and open up the explosive passing attack for the Packers
Golden popped up late in the week with a hip injury and was listed as questionable, but he is also expected to play. He has stepped up in a big way for the Packers over the last few months with Jayden Reed hurt.
Now, Watson will play his first game of the season to give Jordan Love his most expansive complement of weapons thus far on the season.
They will be missing one of their wide receivers, as Dontayvion Wicks will not play with a calf injury. Yet, still, the Packers will have a cache of weapons at their disposal facing a Steelers defense that got shredded by the Cincinnati Bengals last Thursday.
