Lions' LB Derrick Barnes: 15th Ranked Player Seeks Better 2026 Season

The Detroit Lions lost a veteran leader at the linebacker position, but return a pair of important leaders that will help steady the group in 2026.

One of those players is Derrick Barnes, who is entering his sixth season as a pro. After a limited role early in his career, Barnes reinvented himself heading into his third season and has become a very valuable part of the defense.

With Alex Anzalone gone, the group needs leadership. Jack Campbell will certainly help fill that void, but Barnes is the room's elder statesmen and will be counted on to produce at a high level for the defense. That is why he comes in as the Lions' No. 15 most important player for the 2026 season.

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Why Barnes is so important

The Lions have watched as Barnes grew from a positionless defender to a core part of their defense. A fourth-round pick out of Purdue, Barnes entered the professional ranks with more experience as an edge rusher than an off-ball linebacker.

This resulted in some natural hiccups in his first year, as he had the typical ups and downs of learning a new position. After his second year, there was uncertainty surrounding his role as the team drafted Campbell and re-signed Anzalone.

However, Barnes hit the ground running in the offseason and has been a staple for the defense ever since. He signed a three-year extension prior to last season and is the team's starting SAM linebacker.

Last year, Barnes played a career-best 85 percent of the team's defensive snaps while appearing in all 17 games. He had a career year and is looking to build upon it this year, and with Anzalone gone the team will be counting on him.

Barnes' strengths and weaknesses

Barnes has come a long wa since the beginning of his career. After beginning as a raw defender picking up the nuances of playing the position, Barnes has developed into an all-around contributor heading into his sixth NFL season.

Barnes has had some big moments in his career, namely an interception in the Divisional Round of the 2023 postseason to seal a trip to the NFC Championship game. He can be a real factor in the passing game, with his athleticism allowing him to stay in phase.

However, the strongest part of Barnes' game is his work against the run. He had a career-best six tackles for loss last year, and also flashed some pass-rush ability with four sacks off the edge.

Heading into 2026, Barnes will likely be asked to do a number of different things to help the defense succeed in Kelvin Sheppard's second year as the coordinator.

What happens if Barnes gets hurt?

In the Lions' base defense, Barnes has been the team's SAM linebacker. This is a role that the Lions have tried several players in, but Barnes is the one who has picked it up the smoothest. As a result, he'll be a challenge to replace if he were to go down.

Two years ago, Barnes suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the season and the team was forced to adjust to life without him.

Much of the linebacker room remains similar with the departure of Anzalone, and if Barnes were to go down the Lions could turn to Malcolm Rodriguez, Trevor Nowaske or new free agent addition Damone Clark.

Why we ranked Barnes here

Barnes is one of the established veterans that the Lions have relied on the last five years. It hasn't always been in a big role, but Barnes has clearly proven his value to the organization.

Anzalone's departure leaves a big leadership void at the linebacker position, and Barnes is one of the most tenured players on their defense. As a result, he will be looked to as a big leader for the group.

Barnes offers the ability to stifle opposing run games as well as occasionally rush the passer off the edge. This versatility will do a lot of good for the Lions' defensive scheme, as his versatility will be very helpful.

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