Derrick Barnes has become a very important part of the Detroit Lions' defense, so what sound like a season-ending knee injury for him leaves behind a search for how can replace him in the SAM linebacker role.
In Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks, Alex Anzalone, Malcolm Rodriguez and Ben Niemann got some work at SAM linebacker. Trevor Nowaske also got some run there (eight snaps), with three quarterback pressures credited to him by Pro Football Focus.
Before Wednesday's practice, head coach Dan Campbell was asked about Nowaske as an option to replace Barnes.
"Yep, we like Now,” Campbell said. “We were fired up to get him back here. And certainly, that’s the role that we see him in is that SAM linebacker, some of the X on the third down position. So, I think yes there’s a place for him there and we just keep working with him. That’s the best way to say it.”
"He’s still a young player. He’s a developing player, and I think the best way to answer -- we’re going to need all those guys and we’re going to use everything in our arsenal, especially in the linebacker room.”
Trevor Nowaske lined up for opportunity to shine
The Lions first signed Nowaske in 2023 as an undrafted rookie of Saginaw Valley State. He ended up on the practice squad, then he was added to the active roster in November and played in two games. The he was waived in December as the Lions faced a roster crunch, and the Arizona Cardinals picked him up.
When the Cardinals released Nowaske at roster cuts in late-August, the Lions brought him back and had him on the 53-man roster. He was a healthy scratch the first two games this season, then he played nine special teams snaps in Week 3 before his role expanded in Week 4.
Nowaske (6-foot-2, 237 pounds) posted a 9.86 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) at the 2023 NFL Combine, with a 4.5-second 40-yard dash, a 10-foot-2-inch broad jump and other elite level athleticism numbers. That raw athleticism got the Lions' attention, and they hated to lose him when they had to let him go.
On Thursday, via SI.com, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn talked about Nowaske similarly to how Campbell did.
"We've been knowing Nowaske since he's been here, we know what he brings to the table", Glenn said. "Hated to lose him the first time, but we're glad we got him back. So we're gonna continue to try to up his role and try to help him be the player we know he can be. But, again, we want to make sure we take that slowly."
Injuries provide opportunities for others, and Nowaske is an intriguing part of the equation as the Lions figure out how to replace Barnes.