For the first 15 weeks of the 2024 NFL season, the Detroit Lions have almost two dozen players on injured reserve. Top defensive tackle Alim McNeill tore his ACL in his knee during the Lions’ 48-42 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, causing them to lose another defensive player for the season.
Top cornerback Carlton Davis III will be sidelined indefinitely due to a fractured jaw that requires surgery. According to an NFL Network story, if the Lions make it to the NFC title game on January 26, Davis might make a comeback. The Lions have a long list of injured defensive players, including Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg), and McNeill, Davis, and backup cornerback Khalil Dorsey (ankle, out for season) have joined the list.
Last week, Lions coach Dan Campbell expressed doubts about Hutchinson’s chances of making a comeback “if he’ll have the time to get there” for Super Bowl 2025, should the Lions make it to the next round for the first time. Additionally, it is anticipated that running back David Montgomery would miss the entire season due to an MCL knee injury.
