The Lions finally add linebacker we all thought they’d draft in 2022, what went wrong in Dallas
The Lions add some linebacker depth who can push for more playing time
A bunch of my 2022 Detroit Lions mock drafts just finally came true on Wednesday. That’s cool.
Lions sign linebacker Damone Clark
Back in 2022, the Lions needed some linebacker help, and LSU’s Damone Clark on day three felt like a perfect pickup for Detroit. The Lions just missed out on him in the draft that April. When I say just missed out on him, I mean just missed out on him. The Cowboys took Moore with the 176th pick, and the Lions were up at 177. They wound up taking James Mitchell and then drafted Jack Campbell the next year.
Clark was very good for the Cowboys in his first two seasons. But then the Cowboys changed the way they did defense, and that pushed Clark out. He’s shown to be good in coverage and a really good tackler. He missed 12 tackles during his three-and-a-half-year run in Dallas. But there were some issues there. Nothing he could necessarily change.
We talked with our Cowboys’ beat writer, Mauricio Rodriguez, about Clark, and here is what he had to say:
“Damone Clark got dealt a really bad hand with the Cowboys’ constant changes at defensive coordinator. Under Dan Quinn, he rose to a starting role where he played really solid football and was able to capitalize on his athleticism. In 2023, he started 17 games at linebacker for a Cowboys defense that was ranked fifth-best in points and yards allowed.
The shift to Mike Zimmer in 2024 changed everything for him, though. Zimmer brought Eric Kendricks with him and essentially benched Clark because he wasn’t a scheme fit. One year later, it was Matt Eberflus taking over the defense with his guys at LB, including Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray.
Clark is worth rolling the dice on as a high-end backup for a defense that prioritizes speed and athleticism on the second level.”
Clark should not be expected to start for the Lions, but he can absolutely push Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske for depth spots. This is a low-key, pretty good signing for the Lions and their depth.