ALLEN PARK -- Dan Campbell sounded pretty confident about Alim McNeill’s chances of playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when speaking with reporters on Tuesday.
And then the Detroit Lions coach made his weekly radio appearance with 97.1 The Ticket on Wednesday morning, and left little room for doubt.
“Barring something happening this week, Alim’s freakin’ playing, man,” Campbell said.
McNeill has been back at practice for two weeks as part of his 21-day return window from the PUP list. He was a full participant in every practice last week, and has the offensive line hating him right now, per Campbell.
The 25-year-old defensive lineman even said he was 100% ready for action last week, adding that the last part of his recovery is going against someone in a different jersey.
McNeill is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league. He’s stout against the run. He’s versatile and can move all over the line. And he’s among the best pass rushers at his position, too. Make no mistake about it, he’s one of the pillars of this franchise, and that $97 million extension he signed around this time last year speaks to that.
Campbell said they’ll take it as it comes regarding any potential pitch count. But he noted that McNeill will have three weeks of practice under his belt before heading into Monday Night Football.
“Everybody loves Mac, man,” Campbell told 97.1. “They know what kind of teammate he is. But what kind of production he can bring to us in the run and pass game -- He’s the type of guy who elevates the guys around him. He’ll elevate their level of play or their production, just him being out there. He’s going to draw a little bit of attention.
“It’s his first game back, so it’ll be -- he’ll have to shake off a couple of cobwebs. But after what I’ve seen the last two weeks, it won’t take long. He’s a pivotal piece to what we do here, and he’s going to help us.”
The Lions have found ways to create pressure and get to the quarterback through six games. Detroit’s defense is tied for third in the NFL with 19 sacks through. Aidan Hutchinson is leading the charge; he leads the league with 36 pressures. Hutchinson also has a sack in five straight games and has forced a fumble in four consecutive games, and McNeill’s presence spells great news for him and the line.
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