Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes sounds confident after his journey to finding himself in the NFL, and as a result of some defensive improvements, feels poised for his best season.
Derrick Barnes was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2021, so he has had a front row seat to the entire recent rise.
After a 2023 season that saw him total 81 tackles and one sack with arguably the biggest postseason interception in recent Lions’ history, Barnes is feeling comfortable and reflective as he gets ready for another season. Healthy after suffering a knee injury in the NFC Championship Game, he has the benefit of experience.
“It was a long journey for me. (I) overcame a lot of things and now that I’m in year four, it feels crazy. Some people call me vet, somebody people say I’m still young, but just the the approach I have to the game, my mindset, my IQ of the game, knowing what everyone’s doing on the field. I was trying to build that last year and then now just coming out here and and and being able to do this, especially when we’re running a similar defense that I can just not really focus on the playbook and focus on technique and how to make plays. That’s what I’m mostly focused on right now.”
