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Malcolm Rodriguez excited for 'big opportunity' in Lions LB room
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- Malcolm Rodriguez excited for 'big opportunity' in Lions LB room
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has always considered Malcolm Rodriguez a starting linebacker. After playing most of the past three seasons as a backup, Rodriguez could get the chance to prove his coach right in 2026.
"It's a big opportunity," Rodriguez said Monday, March 16, in Allen Park. "Just one of the things I'm just going to come in and have that same mentality I had when I first got here. It's always competition here, so just putting my best foot forward and seeing where it goes."
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Rodriguez started 15 games as a rookie sixth-round pick in 2022, lost his starting job to first-round pick Jack Campbell the following season and has made just 10 starts the past three years.
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez runs after intercepting a pass from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy during the first half of the NFC championship game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Jan. 28, 2024.
He played more defensive snaps as a rookie (614) than he did in 2023-25 combined (510), but is currently penciled in as the team's No. 3 linebacker after officially signing a one-year deal to stay with the Lions in free agency.
The Lions return starting linebackers Campbell and Derrick Barnes from a defense that played more three-linebacker sets than any team in the NFL last season but lost longtime starter Alex Anzalone − their best coverage linebacker − to a free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
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Campbell, Barnes and Rodriguez are the only linebackers the Lions currently have under contract. And while they still will add multiple linebackers through free agency and/or the draft − Trevor Nowaske also has agreed to a deal to return as a non-tendered restricted free agent − Rodriguez re-signed with the team in part because of the chance to get on the field.
"It's one of those things where, come in fully healthy, it'll be nice to see me out there flying around and kind of doing my thing," he said.
Rodriguez tore the ACL in his right knee in a Thanksgiving win over the Chicago Bears in 2024 and spent the first half of last season rehabbing the injury.
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Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez walks off the field due to an injury during the second half against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. He tore the ACL in his right knee.
He played in seven games, mostly on special teams, made one start and finished the season with a career-low 12 tackles and a career-high 110.4 passer rating against, according to Pro Football Reference .
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Rodriguez acknowledged Monday he felt "a little unusual" in his return to the field. He needed a second surgery to clean up scar tissue last summer and said he had trouble getting his knee loose at times.
But after taking time off early this offseason, he said "everything feels smooth and right back to normal."
As he spoke to reporters Monday, holding his almost-1-year-old daughter, Mia, he said he had interest from several other teams in free agency but was "excited" to stay with the only NFL team he has ever known.
"Blessed to sign back again and come into a full offseason healthy," he said. "So just staying healthy and going out there and playing my style of game."
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Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Bluesky , X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Malcolm Rodriguez fully healthy, ready to compete for Lions starting LB
