The Detroit Lions made several roster moves on Monday following a series of new injuries. The most notable move was placing linebacker Alex Anzalone on injured reserve after he broke his forearm during the team’s recent game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Anzalone will miss at least four games but is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, according to head coach Dan Campbell.
To address the depth at linebacker, the Lions signed veteran David Long to their practice squad. Long, a former sixth-round draft pick by the Tennessee Titans, has played in 50 games over four seasons. Though primarily a special teams player early in his career, Long became a full-time starter in his final year with Tennessee. He has recorded 230 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 14 passes defended.
After his rookie contract expired, Long signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Miami Dolphins. He was named a captain for the 2024 season, but under a new defensive coordinator, Long struggled to adapt to the system and lost his starting job. The Dolphins waived him last week, making him available for the Lions to add to their roster.
Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 225 pounds, Long is considered an “undersized” linebacker, but he brings a wealth of experience to Detroit’s linebacker group. In addition to his defensive contributions, Long has been known for his strong special teams play. He posted excellent run defense grades of 89.0 in 2022 and 92.6 in 2023, ranking as the highest among NFL linebackers who played at least 20% of their team’s defensive snaps.
The Lions also activated cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu from injured reserve, but it was later revealed that he suffered a finger injury. Coach Campbell indicated that Melifonwu will now return to injured reserve, where he will be out for at least four more games. Melifonwu’s brief activation from IR counted as one of the team’s eight available spots for the regular season, and if he returns again this season, it would use another one of those slots.
These roster moves reflect the Lions’ efforts to manage injuries while maintaining depth at key positions, particularly linebacker and cornerback. Long’s signing provides the team with an experienced player to fill in for Anzalone, while the decision to place Melifonwu back on IR highlights the ongoing challenges the team faces with player health.
