Coach Dan Campbell said this week that Rolder (hamstring) could begin practicing pretty early in the season, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports.
The fourth-round rookie was injured early in camp and has missed the past three weeks with a strained hamstring. It sounds like he's going to miss the remainder of camp and the preseason. As a rookie, Rolder is expected to work as a depth linebacker and special-teams player.
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Lions' Jimmy Rolder: Avoids major injury
Rotowire
Rolder (leg) will miss some time but avoided severe injury, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports.
The promising rookie left Friday's practice due to the issue. If Rolder can return before the start of the regular season, he could yet prove he is a reliable depth option at linebacker for the Lions. The recent signing of Devin White makes the competition tougher, but the team is always looking for depth at a position it has been notoriously injury-prone with.
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Lions' Jimmy Rolder: Close to home in Detroit
Rotowire
The Lions selected Rolder in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 118th overall.
Rolder didn't start until his fourth year at Michigan, but he impressed at weakside linebacker as a run stopper and in coverage. While he didn't run the 40-yard dash, he's considered to be a strong athlete. Rolder plays aggressively and is a sure tackler, as he had a 4.7 percent missed tackle rate in 2025. He likely needs to develop a bit considering his lack of experience, but he was a dependable special-teams player at Michigan and should contribute in that facet immediately with the Lions.