It's safe to say that the Detroit Lions have been one of the best teams in the league, but it's also safe to say they've been decimated by injuries. They recently got some good news, with Jalen Reeves-Maybin returning to practice as they opened up his practice window, according to Lions reporter Colton Pouncy.
The Lions have 21 days to evaluate Reeves-Maybin, as he's been out since Week 9 with a neck injury. He was one of the team's top special teams players and was a depth piece at linebacker.
There have been several players who have been placed on injured reserve for the Lions, but there are also some players who have a chance of returning. Hopefully, most of them will be ready by the postseason.
Lions trying to navigate several injuries
The Lions' defense has taken the most hits when it comes to injuries, but defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn believes in the group that he has.
“When you lose players like that, it always hurts. I’m not gonna sit here and say that it’s not a frustrating process that those things happen but as you think about it, the way I look at it is probably totally different from the way other people look at it,” Glenn said via Sports Illustrated Christian Booher. “I’m frustrated for them because of the season those guys were having and I always look at it from a player perspective.
The Lions currently have defensive ends Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport, defensive tackle Alim McNeill, linebackers Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes, and cornerback Carlton Davis on injured reserve. Those are all key pieces to a defense that had big expectations coming into the season. Now, the Lions will have to manage with the next-man-up mentality, and they've shown that they're a resilient group and can overcome adversity.
On offense, David Montgomery went down with an MCL injury, and there's a chance that he could be out for the rest of the season, but he's looking to get a third opinion. Luckily for the Lions, Jahmyr Gibbs will take over in the backfield, as he's been very productive sharing snaps with Montgomery this season.
Injuries are a part of the game, but the Lions have positioned themselves well in the NFC, and now the only hope is that they can stay atop the conference and get a bye week, but the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings are staring them in the face.
