The Detroit Lions' issues defensively so far this season are well-documented, and wide-ranging. So trying different things is in play, in order to find what works. In Week 3 against the New York Jets, that effort expanded beyond the secondary.
Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes are locked in as the Lions' top two linebackers, playing most if not all of the defensive snaps each week. Beyond that, flexibility based any number of factors is in play.
After struggling in the first half of the Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and being benched in the second half, Devin White was a healthy scratch against the Jets. Rookie Jimmy Rolder made his debut, playing 15 special teams snaps, and veteran Amen Ogbongbemiga played 17 special teams snaps after being elevated from the practice squad.
The headliner of the remade linebacking corps against the Jets was Trevor Nowaske, who played 33 defensive snaps after totaling 13 over the first two games. He also played well, with six total tackles as Pro Football Focus credited him with four stops.
Dan Campbell invites idea Devin White will stay on the bench
During his weekly appearance on 97.1 The Ticket, head coach Dan Campbell was asked if the linebacker rotation the Lions used against the Jets could stay that way moving forward.
"I think that could trend that way. I mean, look, D-White is still here, and there’s things that Devin does that not everybody can do, and we know that. But right now, if you’re just looking at the totality of defense plus special teams, the six (linebackers) we brought to the game are the ones that we can use the most right now."
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White has played 35 special teams snaps since the start of the 2022 season. So if he isn't going to have a prominent defensive role, or he can't keep a prominent defensive role due to performance, his value basically goes away.
White's name carries a certain level of cache', based on what he did early in his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he hasn't performed at that level in a few years. His 174 tackles with the Las Vegas Raiders last season are as deceiving as it gets in terms of actual impactful play.
The arrangement of the Lions' linebacking corps around Jack Campbell and Barnes is subject to change on a weekly basis, and with that the odd-man out on game day could change. But the results in Week 3, backed by Dan Campbell's comments, means White might continue to be that odd-man out.
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