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Yet another Detroit Lions defensive player is headed to injured reserve. This time it's linebacker Stephen Tulloch who is out for the season. He needs surgery after tearing his ACL on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. He actually got hurt during a sack celebration, and the non-contact injury means the Lions have lost their starting middle linebacker.
With Tulloch gone for the season, what are the Lions going to do at middle linebacker? It's not clear right now, as the Lions are still evaluating their options.
Caldwell won't say whether Levy is moving to middle LB full time. "We'll look at all our options"
— Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) September 22, 2014
DeAndre Levy has played middle linebacker in the past, but he's becoming one of the top outside linebackers in the NFL. It would be less than ideal to make him switch positions when he's been so good on the outside over the last couple seasons, so I can't imagine moving him is their top option. In all likelihood, Tahir Whitehead or Ashlee Palmer will move inside while one of them handles the strongside linebacker spot until Kyle Van Noy returns from injured reserve later in the season.
Regardless of what the Lions do, losing Tulloch really, really hurts. He's not only one of their top defensive players, but he's the quarterback of the defense and one of their top leaders. For him to tear his ACL is disappointing, especially given how it happened.