The Detroit Lions are getting prepared to return to the field after enjoying their bye week in Week 8. After rebounding from a tough loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a 24-9 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Lions are going to be motivated to come out of their bye week and pick up right where they left off.
Bye weeks are incredibly important in the NFL, as they allow players to get healthy and enjoy some time off in what is oftentimes a grueling season. Case in point, it sounds like one key defender, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, has made some serious progress in his quest to get on the field for the first time this season.
Malcolm Rodriguez Targeting Week 11 Return for Lions
After getting selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Lions, Rodriguez quickly became a fan favorite after he starred on the team’s season of “Hard Knocks” and improbably won a starting job on the team’s defense. As a rookie, Rodriguez racked up 87 tackles, one sack, two pass deflections, and one fumble forced over 16 games, 15 of which were starts.
In 2023, Rodriguez’s role was scaled back significantly, as he started just three of the 17 games he played in. Rodriguez earned more snaps last season, but his season came to a premature end in Week 13 when he suffered a torn ACL. Since then, he’s been hard at work trying to get himself healthy so that he can get back on the field and help his team out.
The bye week seemed like a natural time to check in on Rodriguez’s status, and he received a pair of major updates on Monday. Not only is Rodriguez reportedly set to be designated to return to practice this week, but it also sounds like he is hoping to be back on the field by Week 11, giving him a couple more weeks to get himself back into football shape.
“The Lions are expecting LB Malcolm Rodriguez to make his season-debut in Week 11 on Sunday Night Football vs the Eagles, per sources,” Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports shared in a post on X.
Lions Aiming to Pick Up Big Divisional Win in Week 9
GettyLions head coach Dan Campbell.
Rodriguez’s return would provide the Lions a huge boost, even if he isn’t getting starting snaps right out of the gate. Despite being somewhat undersized for a linebacker, Rodriguez packs a mean punch when it comes to his tackling abilities, which is something head coach Dan Campbell values in his inside linebackers.
While the prospect of Rodriguez returning is exciting, he still has a couple more hurdles to clear before he can get back on the field. In the meantime, his team will look to continue racking up wins in an effort to establish itself as the team to beat in the NFC. With a big divisional clash against the Minnesota Vikings on their schedule in Week 9, you can bet that the Lions will be looking to add another win to their tally when they take the field on Sunday afternoon.
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