Malcolm Rodriguez will miss the start of the 2025 season, but when he returns, the Lions linebacker faces the most important football of his NFL career.
As the Detroit Lions proved last year, depth can sometimes be as important as your top-end talent. You never know when or where the injury bug is going to hit, but when it does, you’d better be prepared.
Last year, it was the linebacker position (among others) for the Lions, and that’s where they had one of their best depth players waiting: Malcolm Rodriguez. Unfortunately, his season was cut short, making 2025 an extremely important year for his football future.
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Malcolm Rodriguez
Expectations heading into 2024
With Derrick Barnes, Jack Campbell, and Alex Anzalone firmly ahead of him on the depth chart, Rodriguez was expected to be the primary backup at both off-ball linebacker positions.
Despite being a former starter for the Lions—and showing he can hang with an expanded defensive role—Rodriguez displayed a very positive attitude that impressed then-linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard.
“A guy like Malcolm and you lose sight of a guy like this when you’re sitting up here talking about Jack Campbell, Jack Campbell, well those guys are his biggest fan and he’s their biggest fan,” Sheppard said. “It’s times where I’m pulling guys off the field, and I’m like, ‘I gotta get him three reps.’ [Rodriguez] is like, ‘It’s all good, coach, I want him to play.’ And you rarely find that in this sport, where guys are competing for monetary prizes and things like that. But we’re fortunate to have that.”
Additionally, coming off a season in which he played 307 special teams snaps, Rodriguez figured to be a huge part of Detroit’s special teams unit.
Actual role in 2024
10 games (6 starts) — 318 defensive snaps
Stats: 43 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble recovery
PFF defensive grade: 74.4 (16th out of 90 qualifying LBs —minimum 251 snaps)
PFF pass rush grade: 54.9 (t-70th out of 90)
PFF run defense grade: 87.1 (7th out of 90)
PFF tackling grade: 76.7 (13th out of 90)
Special teams grade (140 snaps): 62.6
As you may remember, the Lions suffered injuries early and often in 2024. Derrick Barnes was headed for a huge role, but an injury ended his season in Week 3.
Immediately, the Lions had to rely on Rodriguez to jump in and fill a critical defensive role (he had already had a rotational role of about 15-20 snaps a game). Unfortunately, Rodriguez suffered an ankle injury of his own in Week 8, causing him to essentially miss three games. But when he came back, he was needed more than ever.
Detroit’s linebacking corps took its biggest hit when Alex Anzalone broke his arm in Week 11. Rodriguez, again, was pushed into a critical role and responded with two of his best games of the season: he earned an impressive 80.9 PFF grade in 43 snaps against the Jaguars and followed up with an eight-tackle performance (and 85.2 PFF run defense grade) game against the Colts. Lions coach Dan Campbell was certainly grateful for his presence at the time.
“It’s good to get Rodrigo back because he does, he gives us a lot of flexibility,” Campbell said. He can play the WILL, he can play the SAM out in space, he’s been playing kind of that big nickel, and so having him back it does, it relieves a lot of pressure there. And I thought, there again, I thought he played really well yesterday. He’s got a nose for the football, he’s aggressive, and he just, he has production back there, so it’s big getting him back.”
A mere 10 days after Campbell said that, Rodriguez suffered a torn ACL that would end his season.
Overall, Rodriguez proved he is still an absolute force in the run game, he can play multiple roles as the primary backup, and can still pitch in on special teams if he has to.
Outlook for 2025
Unfortunately for Rodriguez, his injury is expected to linger two months into the 2025 season .
“Conservatively, November,” Campbell said, estimating Rodriguez’s return date. “Yeah, that’s probably the best way to say it. Probably November. Somewhere in there.”
That’s a terrible turn of events for Rodriguez, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Over the course of his first three seasons—mind you, as a sixth-round pick—he has started 24 games, picked up 151 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, two fumble recoveries, and some of the best special teams play the Lions have had in the Dan Campbell era.
In short, Rodriguez is exceptional depth with starting upside on defense and a four-core special teamer. Teams need players like that. But as he heads into 2025 needing a big season to justify his first major payday in the NFL, he’ll unfortunately miss around half of the year. And when he comes back, it’ll be tough to expect him to pick up where he left off.
Still, it’s a fascinating year for the 26-year-old linebacker. Can he put enough tape out there to justify getting a starter-level contract elsewhere?
Or will his future remain in Detroit? Barnes and Campbell are likely here long-term, but Alex Anzalone is currently heading into a contract year, and Detroit hasn’t extended him yet. Do the Lions view Rodriguez as a younger replacement for Anzalone, and is there anything Rodriguez can do in a shortened year to convince them? Or would the Lions only consider an extension as the team’s primary backup?
It’s unfortunate Rodriguez won’t have the full season to prove he’s capable of being an NFL starter somewhere, but that could ultimately work to Detroit’s advantage. It would not be surprising if the Lions were able to retain him on a prove-it deal in 2026, and then let him find a starting gig elsewhere in 2027.
Either way, whatever amount of games Rodriguez plays in 2025, they’ll be critical to his future.