Detroit Lions defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs was a late addition to the team this offseason. Signed right before training camp got off the ground, his addition didn’t really move the needle much.
But after Detroit got pummeled in the run game in their preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons, the Lions decided they needed a new strategy for their defensive front. In a word, they wanted “girth.”
From then on, Buggs has been given an opportunity to be in the starting lineup as the team’s primary nose tackle—moving 2021 second-round pick Alim McNeill to more three-tech looks in the process where the team can tap into his rare blend of speed and power.