Report: Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez out for the season with torn ACL

Among multiple injuries to defensive players from Thursday's game against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he was most concerned about the knee injury linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez suffered.

"I’ll be honest with you, I think Rodrigo’s the one that could be the worst,” Campbell said. “And I don’t know how significant it’ll be just yet, but he’s the one I fear a little bit.”

That fear has turned out to be true, in the fullest way possible.

Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports was first to report Rodriguez suffered a torn ACL against the Bears, and he will miss the remainder of the season. Multiple other reports have confirmed the news.

Rodriguez, who missed two games earlier this month with an ankle injury, is the fourth Lions' linebacker to suffer a long-term injury this season, joining Derrick Barnes (knee), Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck) and Alex Anzalone (forearm). Anzalone and Reeves-Maybin may be able to return for the playoffs.

Rodriguez has stepped up and was playing very well amid all the linebacker injuries for the Lions. He started six of the 10 games he has played in this season (including the last three games), with 43 total tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss and the highest Pro Football Focus grade of his career (74.4 overall).

Rodriguez, a sixth-round pick in 2022, has one year remaining on his rookie contract and the recovery timetable for a torn ACL opens the idea he could be ready to go for the start of next season.

Malcolm Rodriguez injury further thins Lions' linebacker corps

With Rodriguez out of the lineup on Thursday, the Lions got noticeable snaps from recent additions Ezekiel Turner (22) snaps and David Long (12 snaps) along with Trevor Nowaske (31 snaps) and Ben Niemann (four snaps).

Right after the news of Rodriguez's season ending injury, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Lions are signing veteran linebacker Kwon Alexander off the Denver Broncos' practice squad. Alexander started two games for Denver this season, and he has a connection to the Lions' coaching staff from spending part of the 2020 season with the New Orleans Saints when Dan Campbell and Aaron Glenn were there.