HEADLINES

Malcolm Rodriguez

Lions Activate LB Malcolm Rodriguez From PUP List

November 18th, 2025 at 4:23pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Lions have activated linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez from the reserve/physically unable to perform list, per a team announcement. Rodriguez is now eligible to make his season debut on Sunday against the Giants.

Rodriguez is returning a little less than a year after he tore his ACL in a Week 13 win over the Bears last Thanksgiving. The Lions opened Rodriguez’s 21-day practice window on Oct. 27. The belief then was that the 26-year-old would need the full three weeks before the Lions activated him, and that proved to be the case.

A sixth-round pick from Oklahoma State in 2022, Rodriguez started in 15 of 16 appearances as a rookie. He recorded 87 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble that year, though it wasn’t enough to hold a full-time starting job.

Rodriguez came off the bench in 18 of 27 appearances from 2023-24. He picked up a career-high two sacks in 10 games last season.

Rejoining a 6-4 Detroit team that’s pushing for a playoff spot, Rodriguez will once again work as a defensive reserve and a special teamer. The Lions are in enviable shape at linebacker with Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, and Derrick Barnes as their top three. Campbell, Anzalone, and Barnes have each played over 90% of defensive snaps this year. Rodriguez’s return will give the Lions some quality depth behind them.

NFL Injury Updates: McManus, Ingram, Pearsall, Lions

November 16th, 2025 at 1:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The Packers are without regular kicker Brandon McManus today after he spent the week as “doubtful” on the injury report with a right quad injury, per Ryan Wood of USA Today. Backup kicker Lucas Havrisik is taking over kicking duties at MetLife today.

McManus’ quad injury has lingered since it forced him to miss the team’s Week 6 & 7 games earlier this year. Havrisik signed with Green Bay after a successful audition that also featured Greg Joseph. Havrisik was perfect in his two games in relief of McManus. He converted all four field goal attempts, including a career-long 61-yarder, and all six extra point attempts.

This will be McManus’ third missed game of the year. It’s not clear at the moment how much this week’s setback will affect him moving forward. Havirisik’s consistent presence on the 53-man roster means the Packers will be prepared for whatever his prognosis may be.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • With starting right guard Ed Ingram once again out this week for the Texans‘ trip to Tennessee as he deals with a sprained knee, the Texans have shifted usual starting right tackle Tytus Howard inside to right guard and tapped veteran tackle Trent Brown to sub in at right tackle, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Brown started there last week when Howard was out with a concussion.
  • Brock Purdy isn’t the only offensive player the 49ers are getting back after a long absence. Per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will also play today after missing every game since Week 4. Sitting out of practice for most of that time, as well, Pearsall was able to string together a couple limited practices before finally being a full participant on Friday.
  • Despite rising optimism for returns soon to come, the Lions ruled pass rusher Marcus Davenport, cornerback D.J. Reed, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, and rookie offensive guard Miles Frazier out for their game tonight, meaning all four players will remain on injured reserve with a designation to return.

Lions Designate LB Malcolm Rodriguez To Return

October 27th, 2025 at 3:05pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

3:05pm: Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirmed (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press) that Rodriguez will return to practice this week. The team also opened the practice window for safety Daniel Thomas. He suffered a broken forearm in Week 3 against the Ravens and had surgery at the end of September.

1:40pm: The Lions are designating linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez to return to practice, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Rodriguez, 26, started the regular season the physically unable to perform list as he worked his way back from an ACL tear suffered on Thanksgiving last year. Detroit is expecting the fourth-year linebacker to take his full 21-day practice window and make his 2025 debut on Sunday Night Foootball in Week 11, per Schultz. That is a primetime matchup with the Eagles that could be crucial that could be crucial in determining NFC playoff seeding come January.

The 2022 sixth-round pick quickly became a fan favorite on “Hard Knocks,” during his first training camp and started next to Alex Anzalone as a rookie. Rodriguez took a back seat to Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes in 2023 and was relegated to special teams duties for much of the year. He returned to a starting role last year after Barnes’ season-ending knee injury in September,

Barnes is back to full strength now, so Rodriguez’s role upon his return will likely be similar to 2023. The Lions won’t want to push him coming off a major knee injury, and it may not be wise for him to risk his health in a contract year.

Rodriguez is in the last year of his rookie deal, and a Lions cap table that has gotten more and more expensive may not have room for another off-ball linebacker. Detroit didn’t extend Anzalone before the season, as he desired, but they did re-sign Barnes in the offseason and will have to put aside money for Campbell, who has grown into one of the best linebackers in the league.

Rodriguez will have three weeks to practice with the team before he must be activated to the 53-man roster or revert to season-ending injured reserve.

Lions Shift Alim McNeill, Malcolm Rodriguez To Reserve/PUP List; Team Sets Initial Roster

August 26th, 2025 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

In stashing two injured starters on the reserve/PUP list, the Lions also made a host of cuts to move down to 53. Here are the moves the two-time reigning NFC North champions made at today’s cutdown deadline:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Waived (injury settlement):

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

Placed on reserve/NFI list:

McNeill is believed to be ahead of schedule, but the standout interior D-lineman will still be stashed on the PUP list — requiring a four-game absence. The Lions lost McNeill to an ACL tear — in their bloodbath of a season on defense — to a Week 15 ACL tear. This came weeks after the Lions and the four-year veteran hammered out an extension. McNeill, who has been pegged as most likely to return around midseason, is signed through 2028.

Rodriguez went down with an ACL tear during the Lions’ Thanksgiving win over the Bears. It was reported previously the young linebacker would be expected to miss regular-season time, and that will come to pass.

The Lions became the extraordinarily rare team to drop down to 50 players on roster-cutdown day, as opposed to the required 53. That will keep options open. The team can bring vested veterans back without the waiver process being involved, and teams occasionally wait until after the vested-veteran guarantee deadline passes in early September to re-sign vested performers to avoid fully guaranteeing salaries.

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/17/25

July 17th, 2025 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: OT Ryan Nelson

Seattle Seahawks

Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown Recovering From Knee Surgery; LB Malcolm Rodriguez To Miss Regular Season Time

June 5th, 2025 at 4:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

Thursday brought about a pair of notable injury updates for the Lions. One of them came from All-Pro wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. 

St. Brown said (via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard) he underwent knee surgery shortly after the 2024 season ended. He will miss the remainder of spring workouts as his recovery continues. The 25-year-old added, though, that he expects to be cleared in time for training camp.

St. Brown’s health will of course be critical for the Lions in 2025 as the team once again aims for a Super Bowl. He has topped 1,000 yards during each of the past three seasons, earning a Pro Bowl nod every time during that stretch. The former fourth-rounder will again operate as Detroit’s No. 1 receiver this season, and expectations will be high for another year of standout production.

Last offseason, St. Brown agreed to a four-year extension worth just over $120MM. That agreement made him one of the league’s highest-paid receivers and ensured the USC product will remain in the Motor City for years to come. An offense still featuring quarterback Jared Goff, running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, fellow wideout Jameson Williams and tight end Sam LaPorta will be expected to remain one of the league’s best in 2025 even without OC Ben Johnson in place anymore. St. Brown will have a critical role to play in the unit’s success, so being back to 100% by July would be a welcomed development.

In other injury news, head coach Dan Campbell spoke on linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (video link). He confirmed Rodriguez will miss the beginning of the 2025 season, which comes as no surprise. The 26-year-old suffered an ACL tear on Thanksgiving, making him one of several key defenders who missed time for Detroit in 2024. Campbell said a return to action could take place sometime in November in Rodriguez’s case.

Managing to return to full strength will be key for the former sixth-rounder. Rodriguez is a pending 2026 free agent, so his value will be dictated in large part by his level of play once he is healthy. He has totaled 24 starts during his Lions tenure, and at least a part-time defensive role should await him upon returning to the field. A productive run to close out the campaign could boost his stock and add depth to the second level of the team’s defense.

Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes are in place as returnees at the linebacker spot for Detroit. Alex Anzalone is on the books as well, but he has remained away from the team during voluntary workouts. While the team looks to sort out a potential extension on that front, Zach Cunningham recently joined as experienced option for the initial roster. Rodriguez missing Week 1 will help Cunningham’s chances of surviving roster cutdowns at the end of training camp.

Lions Place LB Malcolm Rodriguez, DL Mekhi Wingo On Season-Ending IR

November 30th, 2024 at 8:43pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Lions have officially placed linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo on injured reserve, per a team announcement. Head coach Dan Campbell announced that both players were out for the rest of the season, according to team reporter Tim Twentyman.

Rodriguez tore his ACL during Thursday’s win over the Bears, while Wingo injured his knee but managed to finish the game. Further evaluation revealed that Wingo would need surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the year. Those injuries were two of several suffered by the Lions on Thanksgiving, with Josh Paschal (knee) and Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) considered day-to-day ahead of another Thursday night matchup in Week 14.

Wingo is a rookie who appeared in all 11 of the Lions’ games so far this season as a reserve defensive tackle with 176 snaps on defense and 44 on special teams. The sixth-round pick recorded nine tackles, but had yet to factor into the pass rush.

Detroit signed Jonah Williams off the Rams’ practice squad on Friday to shore up their defensive line depth. They also added Myles Adams from the Seahawks’ practice squad on Saturday. He appeared in three games for Seattle this year with a total of 36 snaps and three tackles. Both players will join Brodric Martin, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Pat O’Connor in filling the snaps vacated by Wingo (plus Paschal and Onwuzurike if they can’t play on Thursday).

Trevor Nowaske will be the next man up at linebacker after Rodriguez’s injury. He has played just under 28% of the Lions’ total defensive snaps this season and will see an uptick in the Lions’ three-linebacker formations. Detroit also signed veteran linebacker Kwon Alexander from the Broncos’ practice squad to provide more depth. Additionally, the team has not ruled out a return from Derrick Barnes from his September knee injury that threatened to end his season.

The Lions had two open spots on the roster after today’s IR designations, so they also waived wide receiver Maurice Alexander to make room for all three new signings. He only appeared in one game this season with eight snaps exclusively on special teams.

Lions’ Malcolm Rodriguez Suffers ACL Tear

November 29th, 2024 at 10:34am CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions earned a victory on Thanksgiving, but it came at the expense of another injury on defense. Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez suffered an ACL tear, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports.

Rodriguez will be out for the remainder of the season as a result, and his absence represents yet another blow to Detroit’s defense in general and linebacking corps in particular. The 25-year-old had logged a 49% snap share on defense while still handling a notable role on special teams this season. That was set to continue given the ongoing absence of Derrick Barnes along with Alex Anzalone‘s broken forearm, but now the Lions will need to look elsewhere on the depth chart.

A sixth-round pick in 2022, Rodriguez immediately demonstrated his potential by logging 15 starts as a rookie. He racked up 87 tackles that year but was relegated to rotational/special teams duties last season. As the NFC’s top seed has navigated multiple injuries at the second level, though, Rodriguez has stepped back into a notable role. The Oklahoma State product racked up 43 tackles and a pair of sacks prior to going down yesterday. Head coach Dan Campbell expressed concern over the injury, and now the worst-case scenario has played out.

As Detroit (11-1) looks to remain in the top spot in the conference (not to mention the uber-competitive NFC North), depth options will be needed at the LB spot. Anzalone is currently on injured reserve, but he could return at some point before the start of the playoffs. Barnes, meanwhile, has not shut the door to playing again in 2024, but a deep postseason run will likely be needed for that to be possible. The Lions’ front seven will move forward without all three members of that trio for the time being, something exacerbated by the previous injuries suffered along the edge by Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport (among others).

As the Lions look to continue their success with a number of key defenders out of the picture, Rodriguez’s attention will turn to rehab. One year remains on his rookie contract, but he will be eligible for an extension this offseason. Needless to say, this injury will hurt his value on any long-term Detroit commitment.

Lions Could Lose Derrick Barnes For Rest Of Season

October 9th, 2024 at 11:45am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Lions could be playing the rest of the 2024 without inside linebacker Derrick Barnes, who was placed on injured reserve after a knee injury in Week 3.

“I think we will be fortunate to get him at any point this year,” said head coach Dan Campbell on Monday, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I don’t want to say it’s not going to happen, but I think we would be pretty fortunate if it does.”

The Lions have been evaluating Barnes’ knee he sustained the injury in Week 3 to decide if the fourth-year linebacker will require surgery. While no determination has been made, Campbell’s comments indicate that Barnes will need a lengthy recovery period, surgery or not.

2022 sixth-rounder and former Hard Knocks fan favorite Malcolm Rodriguez has taken over Barnes’ spot in Detroit’s defense, recording 10 tackles and a sack across Weeks 3 and 4. Rodriguez will look to further solidify his starting role after the Lions’ Week 5 bye in their upcoming matchup with the Cowboys.

The Lions did get some positive injury updates this week with center Frank Ragnow and safety Brian Branch both returning to practice after one-game absences. Detroit’s bye week gave both players additional time to get healthy: Ragnow from a partially-torn pectoral muscle and Branch from an illness. Both players are key starters for the Lions, who had to shuffle on both sides of the ball in Week 4.

Lions Place LB Derrick Barnes On Injured Reserve

September 24th, 2024 at 3:50pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

3:50pm: Barnes has indeed been placed on IR, per a team announcement. The move comes as no surprise, but it ensures Detroit will be without a key starter for a stretch. It will be interesting to see how Barnes’ recovery progresses and when he will become an option to return to action.

1:18pm: The Lions’ injury situation just keeps getting worse, with linebacker Derrick Barnes expected to be placed on injured reserve after sustaining a knee injury in Detroit’s Week 3 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Head coach Dan Campbell said that Barnes would be out for a significant amount of time, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Barnes may even require surgery, making a stint on injured reserve an even more likely option as the team evaluates his knee and determines a long-term outlook for his recovery.

Barnes joins defensive end Marcus Davenport and center Frank Ragnow on the list of injured Lions coming out of Sunday’s game. Davenport suffered a season-ending elbow injury, while Ragnow tore his pectoral muscle.

“It’s going to hurt to lose Barnes,” said Campbell on Monday, but he emphasized that he has “a ton of faith” in the team’s remaining linebackers. He has multiple options to replace Barnes, who started the season alongside veteran Alex Anzalone and 2023 first-round pick Jack Campbell in defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn‘s 4-3 scheme. Malcolm Rodriguez, a 2022 sixth-rounder who became a fan favorite on Hard Knocks as a rookie, is the most likely candidate for Barnes’ spot, with Ben Niemann and Jalen Reeves-Maybin providing additional depth.

Barnes was a fourth-round pick by the Lions in 2021 who appeared in 32 games with 10 starts across his first two NFL seasons before earning a starting role in 2023 as the third off-ball linebacker behind Anzalone and Campbell. Landing on injured reserve will sideline Barnes until at least Week 8, though surgery could hold him out longer.

Load More Posts