Allen Park — After an intense competition that lasted the duration of the offseason program, a clear winner didn’t emerge among the three Lions linebackers — Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez — who were battling for a starting job.
But it’s not because none of the players stepped up. Rather, all three impressed. That’s left the Lions in a position where they’ll look to get all of them on the field Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I would say this, all those guys deserve to play, all those guys will play,” defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said Saturday. “Man, I’m looking forward to those guys playing throughout the season. I can’t tell you exactly how much they’re (each) going to play, but they’re going to play.”
Based on practice rotations throughout camp, Barnes seems most likely to get the start against the Chiefs. The third-year linebacker has drawn rave reviews from the coaching staff for his year-to-year improvements, including mastering an understanding of both the middle and weakside positions.
“Derrick Barnes (has an) explosive, fast, violent, get downhill, knock-someone-out type of mentality,” Glenn said. “That’s his strong point.”
Campbell, one of the team’s first-round picks, also figures to see plenty of playing time in the heart of Detroit’s defense. The 6-foot-5, 243-pounder hasn’t disappointed with the way he’s performed in his first offseason.
“(He’s) big, strong, physical, blue collar, hard worker, easily can pick a defense up, which he’s already done, and he fits who we are to a T,” Glenn said.
Then there’s the bulldog of the group, as Glenn calls him, Rodriguez. A sixth-rounder a year ago, he earned a starting job as a rookie in 2022 and has only gotten better in his second offseason, often showcasing some of the best instincts on Detroit’s defense during practices and the preseason games.
The other part of Detroit’s linebacker equation is Alex Anzalone, who will be shifting from the middle alignment to the weakside role this season but will continue to play most downs and serve as the lead communicator for the unit. He’ll need to lean on that deep understanding of Glenn’s scheme while trying to build reliable chemistry with the other three linebackers beside him.
On the plus side, he expects the competition from camp to spill over into the season, further driving improvement for the corps.
“Definitely the benefit is guys are fresh,” Anzalone said. “Guys are playing fast. Guys are motivated to compete for more reps, even during the year. You know, you have your competition in training camp, but it kind of lingers out throughout the year and guys want to make plays.”
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter/X: @Justin_Rogers