When the Detroit Lions designated defensive tackle Alim McNeill to return from the physically unable to perform list this week, the expectation was that they would utilize at least some of his 21-day window to be activated to the 53-man roster.
After all, That is typically the Lions' approach with players coming back from injury, and especially for players coming back from such the kind of serious injury (torn ACL) that McNeill suffered in 2024.
However, head coach Dan Campbell revealed on Friday that McNeill, who was limited at practice on Wednesday and Thursday, has a 50/50 shot to play.
"We've talked about it," Campbell said of the possibility of McNeill playing Sunday. "I don't know, man. I think, right now, he's probably 50/50. I know he wants to play, but we want to be smart, too, so this will be one of those decisions we'll probably make after practice."
If McNeill does end up playing, he's going to see limited snaps in his first game back. Even still, just having him back in any form is a massive boost for Detroit's defense, which will get a shot in the arm both in run defense and the pass-rush.
The Lions have actually been better than expected at getting after the quarterback, with Detroit tallying 14 sacks through four games, tied for the third-most in the league.
When it comes to run defense, Detroit has excelled there, also, with the Lions sporting the eighth-best unit.
The Lions will release their final injury report of the week on Friday, so we'll know more about McNeill's chances of playing then.
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