We’re getting very close to the playoffs and the Detroit Lions are heading there with a chance to bring home the Lombardi Trophy for the first time ever. Taking a look at the injury report and listening to some of Dan Campbell’s comments point to the Lions getting a late-season surge of health that can make this defense stronger and deeper than it’s ever been at just the right time.
We’ve seen this group be shorthanded for much of the year, but we’ve also seen this group come together and be one of the best defenses in the league despite being shorthanded.
We’ve seen the rise of guys like Al-Quadin Muhammad, Patrick O’Connor, Ezekiel Turner, and David Long. have good games. It’s only been one game, but we saw good outputs from the new guys Kwon Alexander, Jamal Adams, Jonah Williams, and Myles Adams. Then of course the usual suspects like Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.
By the time the playoffs are here, the Lions’ defense very realistically could have DJ Reader, Alex Anzalone, Josh Pashcal, Levi Onwuzurkie, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Ifeatu Melifonwu, and Ennis Rakestraw back on the roster and ready to go. There’s also the possibility that Aidan Hutchinson joins them. John Cominsky and Derrick Barnes have not been ruled out for this year either.
That presents the Lions the opportunity to be incredibly deep and healthy when it matters the most and allows them to bring the best version of their defense into the playoffs.
So far what we know is that Reader, Paschal, and Onwuzrukie’s injuries aren’t season-ending or anything like that. All three could potentially be back as early as Sunday’s game against the Bills. We know the Lions plan to discuss bringing Rakestraw and Melifonwu back from IR next week and we know that Anzalone could be back by Week 18 and Reeves-Mauybin could be back a little sooner.
We’ll keep you abreast of all the injury situations and updates as soon as we know them. You can keep track of all of that in our injury tracker.