The Detroit Lions have a day three rookie who could contribute in 2026.
The offseason departure of weak-side linebacker Alex Anzalone left a big hole in the Lions’ linebacker room. Detroit will have to replace a key veteran who helped establish the culture and was one of its biggest leaders on the field.
But the Lions want to get younger as a team, and hand the leadership roles off to some of their second-contract stars (Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Jack Campbell, etc.) while letting some new blood come in and make a difference. Rookie Will linebacker Jimmy Rolder could be a part of that shift.
At the Lions’ organized team activities (OTAs), which concluded this week, Rolder was reportedly picking the defense up very quickly and impressed coaches with his abilities to acclimate.
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard first credited Lions linebackers coach Shaun Dion Hamilton for his talent development skills and ability to work with young players, before complimenting Rolder’s mental aptitude and readiness.
“It means something to him, to be honest,” Sheppard said of Rolder. “To play linebacker and safety in this system, especially where we've taken it now, it takes a lot. It takes mental capacity, and he has it.”Â
Rolder continues to impress in OTAs
Sheppard’s comments about playing linebacker and safety suggest the Lions are experimenting with Rolder’s role early. They seem to like tinkering with their young linebackers, like when they played Jack Campbell out of position at “Sam” in his rookie year rather than Mike, or the various ways they’ve chosen to deploy Derrick Barnes over his five years in Detroit.
In college, Rolder drew praise for his tackling technique, run defense and discipline. He’s got a ways to go in pass coverage and as a rusher, but the athletic chops are there for those to improve even if they never become elite.
The Lions’ tentative starting linebackers are Campbell at Mike, Malcolm Rodriguez at Will and Derrick Barnes at Sam. It’s probably too early to say Rolder breaks into that trio now, but he’s really worth keeping an eye on in the next couple of years.Â
Though the starting Will job looks like Rodriguez’s to lose, Rolder’s presence makes things interesting. Rodriguez showed starting-caliber play at Will in 2024 but didn’t quite look the same as a reserve in 2025 following a torn ACL in November 2024. He’s essentially on a one-year “prove-it” deal in 2026, and his leash may be relatively short if he can’t play Anzalone-level football consistently.
Barnes isn’t a sure thing either. He’s certainly had his moments in Detroit, but his struggles as a pass rusher cast some doubt over his ability to impact games on a week-to-week basis from the strong side. Could the Lions move him to the weak side and free up some snaps for Rolder somewhere?
That likely wouldn’t come until later in the season, but the Lions’ linebacking corps aside from Campbell are built on shakier ground than most probably realize. There’s a path towards Rolder being deemed a solution somewhere down the line, whether due to injury or shaky play.
“He still has a lot of ways to grow,” Sheppard said. “This isn't a guy we're looking to go out and call the defense tomorrow, but his trajectory and where we see things going for him is definitely on the upswing.”
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