The Detroit Lions have several important questions to answer this season, and one of the biggest revolves around their defensive line and its ability to step up this season.
With question marks in the secondary, the Lions badly need their defensive front to control the narrative this season. They need elite run stopping, as well as a solid pass rush that can get after the quarterback and change the game.
Fortunately, there is good news on this front courtesy of Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer. Breer visited Lions camp and got a closer look at the entire team over the last week. One of his biggest takeaways was the fact that the defensive line is looking strong and ready to change the game.
Specifically, defensive tackle Alim McNeill has jumped off the page and impressed. Breer highlighted him as one of the bright spots from the defense when he watched, and the writer said he looks like he used to look before the injury he sustained in 2024.
"The front seven is in fantastic shape. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill looks like he’s back to being himself, now nearly two years removed from his torn ACL, and has been dominant and playing with a ton of confidence in camp. There’s also depth behind him. Former first-rounder Tyleik Williams has slimmed down and been disruptive in camp. Sixth-rounder Skyler Gill-Howard is emerging as a dark horse, and 2025 waiver claim Tyler Lacy has shown inside/outside versatility."
"And then, on the edge, Aidan Hutchinson is Aidan Hutchinson, and Carolina import D.J. Wonnum and second-rounder Derrick Moore have shown promise opposite him. Then, you have Jack Campbell, now signed long-term, behind them, with second-year coordinator Kelvin Sheppard giving him more and more leeway to run the defense (he let him call it from the field for a full practice this week)."
While all of those players coming around would represent a huge development, and especially the rookie, it's possible that McNeill is the most important. The Lions need him to fortify the middle of the defensive line, and stop the run. When he is going good, he can push the pocket a bit as well, leading to a better operation in totality.
An active McNeill would be a huge plus for the Lions, and help everyone else to be fantastic as well. The better news? Even McNeill seems to feel the particular groove he is getting in before the season.
McNeill feeling even stronger as he works his way through Lions camp
It's not a surprise to see McNeill bouncing back. Earlier in the spring, he was looking good on the field and sounding like he was ready to make a bigger impact once this season came along. Now that he has some time under his belt in camp, things are beginning to feel even better.
As McNeill explained to the media, there is a major difference in what he was feeling last season on the field after returning off injury and what he is feeling now. As he said, he is back physically as well as mentally now, and has used training camp to boost himself and gain in confidence.
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"I was there mentally last year. Physically, I just wasn't all the way there like I wanted to be. You can see it, but if you can't get to it, you can't get to it. Now I got two legs and I have no excuse and I feel wonderful. I really feel like I'm back to playing like me, getting off the ball like me, getting off blocks like I usually do."
"These reps here in training camp, they matter. People hate training camp. It's long, this and that, but these reps matter out here and that's what gets you better. It's cliche, but it does. Being able to get those reps, be with the guys, most importantly, build that chemistry, it's been really good."
The more comfortable McNeill feels, the better he is likely to play. So far, it's been impressive to note that he hasn't missed a single beat on the comeback trail. Not only is he talking about it, but the experts have noticed it. That could change the dynamic of Detroit's defense.
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