The Detroit Lions will have the eyes of the football world on them this Sunday when they take their show on the road to Lambeau Field for an NFC North matchup against the new-look Green Bay Packers.

All the talk heading into the matchup has been about Green Bay’s acquisition of All-Pro LB Micah Parsons, but that isn’t the only talking point regarding the linebacker position worth discussing, though.

With Trevor Nowaske being held out of practice for a second straight day on Thursday, there could be an open spot on the active roster for a linebacker, and veteran Anthony Pittman stands the most to gain if given the opportunity.

Injury to Lions’ Nowaske Could Give Anthony Pittman Another Chance

Lions fans are familiar with Pittman as he has appeared in 55 career games as a member of Detroit’s roster. From the 2021 season through 2023, Pittman appeared in all 51 of the regular-season games the Lions had on their schedule. Needless to say, he is accustomed to the way things are done in Detroit and what Dan Campbell expects out of his defense.

As of this writing, Pittman is on the Lions’ practice squad. If the injury concerns with Nowaske’s elbow continue to linger, it would not be shocking in the slightest to see Pittman elevated to the active roster to provide depth at the linebacker position.

After splitting time between the Lions and the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2024 campaign, Pittman returned to the Motor City this offseason in hopes of landing a spot on the 53-man roster. That did not happen coming out of training camp, as he was among the long list of players across the league to be handed a pink slip ahead of the NFL’s deadline for roster cuts.

Pittman ultimately agreed to join Detroit’s practice squad, and his patience could pay off sooner than he would have expected. If he does get called up to the active roster and performs at a high enough level, this could be the start of another 17-game run for the veteran with the Lions.