Two days ago, Devin White looked like the favorite to win the Detroit Lions’ starting WILL linebacker job.
Wednesday provided a reminder that Malcolm Rodriguez apparently has no interest in making this easy.
Rodriguez received all of the third-linebacker snaps with Detroit’s first-team defense during Wednesday’s practice, while White worked with the second unit, according to Pride of Detroit. With training camp nearly finished, that is more than a random August rotation.
And suddenly, a competition that seemed to be tilting toward White is wide open again.
Malcolm Rodriguez Takes His Turn
The Lions entered camp with Rodriguez positioned as the logical replacement for Alex Anzalone at WILL. Detroit re-signed him in March, and the team’s own training camp preview identified the No. 3 linebacker spot alongside Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes as one of the roster’s primary competitions.
Then Rodriguez injured his ankle.
White arrived Aug. 1 and immediately took advantage. He earned first-team work, impressed Dan Campbell and continued building momentum while Rodriguez worked his way back.
We wrote earlier this month about Campbell’s growing excitement over what he was seeing from White. That momentum carried into Saturday’s preseason victory over Washington, when White started and continued getting meaningful defensive work.
By Monday, the evidence was strong enough that we argued White had become the new leader in Detroit’s starting linebacker battle.
Forty-eight hours later, Rodriguez took every first-team rep available at the position.
Well then.
The Lions Aren’t Making This Easy to Read
There are several reasonable explanations.
Detroit could simply be giving Rodriguez an extended look after White received so much work earlier in camp. The coaching staff may want comparable evidence on both players before making a decision. It is also possible Rodriguez’s health finally allowed the Lions to give him the workload they originally envisioned.
But this late in camp, first-team reps matter.
Pride of Detroit noted that White was moved to the second team Wednesday while Rodriguez handled the first-team third-linebacker role exclusively. Rodriguez also drew a strong reaction from teammates and coaches after delivering a block during a special-teams drill.
The next practice and Saturday’s preseason finale against Indianapolis should provide another clue.
Not necessarily the answer.
The “Starter” Label May Not Tell the Whole Story
There is another wrinkle worth remembering.
Detroit’s third linebacker isn’t likely to be an every-down position. Campbell and Barnes are established pieces, but the Lions will spend plenty of defensive snaps with additional defensive backs on the field rather than three traditional linebackers.
That means this may not ultimately be a clean White-versus-Rodriguez, winner-takes-all competition.
White gives Detroit speed and aggression attacking downhill. Rodriguez offers positional flexibility, familiarity with the defense and significant special-teams value. Detroit could reasonably find roles for both without treating the player listed first at WILL as dramatically more important than the other.
Still, Wednesday changed the conversation.
When camp opened, Rodriguez appeared to have the advantage. White arrived, climbed the depth chart and eventually looked like he had taken control. Now Rodriguez has responded by reclaiming every first-team rep at the position during one of Detroit’s final practices.
Apparently neither linebacker received the memo that this competition was supposed to get easier to figure out.
With one preseason game remaining, it hasn’t.
It just flipped again.
