Game Changer: Lions’ Defense Get Lift from Alim McNeill’s Dominant Play
The Detroit Lions made the decision to invest heavily in defensive tackle Alim McNeill.
After being selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the talented defensive lineman has worked to become an impactful member of Aaron Glenn’s defense.
General manager Brad Holmes made the decision during this season to sign McNeill to a four-year, $97 million contract extension through the 2028 NFL season
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn shared that with Aidan Hutchinson being out for an extended period of time, McNeill has contributed significantly to the growth of Jack Campbell and the success of the defensive line.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all. I expect those things from him and for a defensive lineman, sometimes they don’t get the credit they deserve for doing the dirty work. He’s been doing that for a while. I will say this, that’s the reason why Jack Campbell has improved, with him and DJ Reader,” said Glenn. “A lot of those times, those guys aren’t getting blocked by anybody because of what those guys do. Within our defense, especially when we’re playing on light blocks, we expect our d-linemen to take two so our linebackers can run.
“Those guys are two of the best in the league at doing that. And then, his ability to rush the passer is starting to show up a little bit,” Glenn continued. “He’s always had that ability because of his talent, but you can tell right now that part of his game is really starting to get an uptick and his two-blocks, he’s starting to utilize those a lot more.”
