The Detroit Lions have spent a lot of time hyping up third-year linebacker Derrick Barnes. After a couple years of adjusting to the relatively new position—he played the edge rusher position for most of college—Barnes has made an impression on everyone around him about how big of a mental jump he’s made in 2023.
“That is a player that I have seen walk in this building since we started Phase 2 and looked like a completely different player,” linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard said in the spring. “I mean, a kid growing into a man, taking charge, holding people accountable, running the huddle, letting everybody know, ‘I know what I’m doing.