Lions Get Good News on Pivotal Defensive Lineman Before Chiefs Game
The Detroit Lions could finally see a key member of the defense back on the field, months after he suffered a major knee injury.
Defensive lineman Alim McNeill has been growing ever-closer to a return from the torn ACL that cut short his 2024 season, addressing what one analyst believes is a growing concern for the 4-1 Lions.
Alim McNeill Will Address Biggest Area of Concern
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon noted that the string of early injuries has been the “biggest concern” for the Lions this season, including the absence of McNeill.
“The Lions are still without key defenders Alim McNeill (knee), Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and D.J. Reed (hamstring). And safety Kerby Joseph has been playing through a knee injury, while Brian Branch is dealing with an ankle injury,” Gagnon wrote. “Unsurprisingly, that unit has had some spotty performances thus far. They’re giving up 22.4 points per game, up from 20.1 in 2024.”
Gagnon noted that the Lions have found ways to make up for the string of injuries, but could see a big boost when McNeill is able to return to the field — which could come as early as this week.
“The good news is they’re making up for it with takeaways and sacks, and McNeill may return just in time for a big Week 6 matchup with the Chiefs,” Gagnon wrote.
Good Signs for Alim McNeill
It appeared that McNeill may have been able to return for last week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, with head coach Dan Campbell saying he was “50/50” to play. The Lions ultimately ruled McNeill out, though the coaching staff has been giving some hopeful signs about his ability to return and get back to his previous form.
Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said last week that McNeill has looked great while ramping up toward his return.
“I told Dan [Campbell] yesterday that it’s amazing when you watch those practice clips. It’s like he’s been at training camp. I mean he does not look like a player that hasn’t practiced, and that’s credit to him,” Sheppard said, via ESPN. “I know all this bone density and all these guru terms they throw out, but all I know is I see a very, very high caliber defensive tackle when I turned on the tape yesterday so I’m very excited to have him back out there.”
McNeill added that he is excited to get back on the field and help his teammates. The team has struggled at times to generate consistent pressure on quarterbacks — which was especially true after Aidan Hutchinson’s season-ending injury last year. McNeill has been one of the most consistent defensive linemen.
McNeill suffered a torn ACL in December, missing the team’s final stretch and early playoff exit. He finished the season with 25 total tackles and 3.5 sacks, adding a forced fumble and pass defensed.
“I’m just taking it day-by-day, practice-by-practice right now and just putting good tape out there and let them know that I’m good to go,” McNeill said. “I don’t have a target date myself, but I can’t wait ’til it is.”
Browns’ OC Tommy Rees Shares Plans for New OT Cam Robinson After Limited Debut
The Cleveland Browns have been very busy on the trade market over the past couple of weeks, as they have swung three separate deals recently that have shaken up their roster. The first of that bunch saw them acquire offensive lineman Cam Robinson and a seventh-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft from the Houston Texans in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2027 draft.
With Dawand Jones suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 3, the Browns needed some more help at left tackle, which prompted them to make a move for the veteran Robinson. After playing sparingly in his first game with his new team, though, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees opened up on what Robinson’s role with Cleveland will be moving forward.
Tommy Rees Dishes on Cam Robinson
In addition to trading for Robinson, the Browns have also sent Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals after he was benched in favor of Dillon Gabriel and acquired Tyson Campbell from the Jacksonville Jaguars, with Greg Newsome II going the other way. Of these three moves, though, Robinson’s could end up being the most important given the team’s need for help at left tackle.
Even though Robinson turned in one of the best seasons of his career last year, this is his fourth team in the past 12 months. Robinson started the 2024 campaign with the Jaguars before getting traded to the Minnesota Vikings. In free agency over the offseason, Robinson signed with the Texans, but he quickly lost his starting job at left tackle, leading to him getting sent to the Browns.
Robinson started Cleveland’s first offensive series in its Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings before KT Leveston took over for him, which led to questions about Robinson’s role with the team moving forward. Rees refused to commit to Robinson as the team’s starter at left tackle in Week 6, but it sounds like his role should be expected to increase moving forward.
“Hard week for Cam. You come here and then all of a sudden, you’re going to Europe,” Rees said on Thursday. “We felt like he did a nice job during the week. We had a plan going into the game, get his feet wet a little bit, see how it continues to go. and evaluate him from there. He did a nice job for us a week ago getting ready to play, and we’ll continue to build on that.”
Will Cam Robinson Start for the Browns in Week 6?
It remains to be seen whether or not Robinson will start in Week 6, but the situation has been made a bit more complicated due to Leveston dealing with a calf injury that has limited him at practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. With Robinson not being on the injury report, could that lead to Cleveland taking the training wheels off for him sooner than expected?
The Browns draw a tough matchup in Week 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with their longtime division rival featuring a strong pass rush led by T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. If Cleveland’s offensive line doesn’t hold up, it could be a long day for Gabriel under center in this one. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon, and fans will be paying close attention to Robinson to see how much he plays after his limited debut in Week 5.
