The Detroit Lions welcomed Alim McNeill back to the practice field on Wednesday, starting the 21-day evaluation period before he comes back to play after having a season-ending knee injury last season.

"It felt great out there," McNeill said. "I've been waiting on this.

"I got a good number of reps, and I didn't feel gassed."

McNeill, a defensive tackle, tore his right ACL in a Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills last season. He was tied for the team lead with seven tackles for losses when he was injured and had seven quarterback hits.

"He's ready to go," Lions coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday. "I'm sorry for some of those guys that are going to have to line up across from him."

The NFC North-leading Lions (3-1) play at Cincinnati (2-2) at Sunday, and McNeill said he isn't sure when he will be ready to compete.

"I wouldn't say this week," he said.

Nearly a year ago, the Lions gave him a four-year contract extension worth $97 million with $55 million guaranteed. The 6-foot-2, 310-pound McNeill signed his deal in the same year the franchise gave quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and offensive tackle Penei Sewell contract extensions.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes drafted McNeill in the third round — No. 72 overall — in 2021 out of N.C. State.

After starting in six games and playing in 17 as a rookie, McNeill started 44 consecutive games over the following three seasons. McNeill had five sacks in 2023, the most by an interior defensive lineman for the Lions since Ndamukong Suh had 8 1/2 sacks in 2014.