STILLWATER – The Detroit Lions have re-signed former Oklahoma State linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez with the idea that he may be back in the starting line-up. Rodriguez became a huge sensation in his rookie season thanks to his physical play and a starring role in HBO’s Hard Knocks. Rodriguez battled back last season after a torn ACL. He earned a role in the defense. Now he could be a starter again.
Veteran Alex Anzalone signed with Tampa Bay in free agency which leaves an open starting spot at WILL linebacker in Detroit's base defense.
"It's a big opportunity," Rodriguez said Monday at the Meijer Performance Center of his reported one-year deal with the Lions that has an option year. "Excited for Alex and his family, I know it's close to home for him. It's just one of those things, I'm just going to come in and have the same mentality I had when I first got here. It's always about competition and put my best foot forward and see where it goes."
After earning All-Big 12 honors as well as some All-American honors as a smart player and high volume tackler for the Cowboys and then defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, he earned a draft spot with Detroit as a sixth-round draft pick in 2022. Rodriguez earned a starting job as a rookie and produced 87 tackles in 16 games. For the next two seasons he was mostly a reserve and special teams contributor before his injury in the 2024 season.
He returned Nov. 23 of last season and played in Detroit's final seven games with one start at the WILL spot the final week of the season in place of the injured Anzalone. He recorded four tackles and a tackle for loss in Detroit's win over Chicago.
Rodriguez told Lions reporter Tim Twentyman that he dealt with stiffness in the knee when he first returned after a long rehab process, but said the knee feels back to normal now and he's looking forward to an offseason to just work on his craft and not rehab an injury.
