The Detroit Lions have made a decision that will affect the makeup of their NFL playoffs schedule. Head coach Dan Campbell‘s team is battling the Minnesota Vikings for the lead in the NFC North, with both teams holding 13-2 records. In related news, a former Miami Dolphins player who was recently added to the roster has been cut.
With two games remaining in the NFL season, Campbell knows there is still room for improvement if Detroit wants to reach the Super Bowl and win it for the first time in franchise history. With that in mind, roster decisions become increasingly important.
The former Dolphins player who was cut from the Lions is none other than linebacker David Long. His arrival has been justified by a one-time objective, and the 28-year-old veteran didn’t have much activity to stay in Detroit fighting for a spot in the starting lineup.
The Lions had added Long to the practice squad prior to Week 12 to fill the spot left by Alex Anzalone, who had been placed on injured reserve with an arm injury. Soon after, Long was added to the active roster.
How many games has Long played for the Lions?
Long has played for the Lions in five games, with only one of those as a starter. The 28-year-old linebacker has been involved in 70 defensive plays and 58 on special teams. In total, he records seven tackles and one fumble recovered for head coach Campbell’s team.
Cambpell made it clear what his Lions need to improve to make it to the Super Bowl
After Long’s departure, Campbell made it clear what things his Lions need to improve. “There are things we need to finish a little bit in the air game. We’re handling the ground game well and overall we made it one-dimensional. The effort is outstanding, our physical nature,” Campbell stated.