Detroit Lions starting nickel corner Justin Coleman injured his hamstring in Week 1 and was placed on injured reserve following the game. He was eligible to return from short-term injured reserve after Week 4, but his injury was significant enough that it required more time to heal.
After a few weeks of training, rehab, and exercises, Coleman is finally ready to return to practice and will take the practice field on Thursday of Week 7, starting a 21-day health evaluation period now begins.
Coleman will remain on injured reserve until the Lions make a decision on his status, which has two potential outcomes.
The first option is, once it is determined he is healthy enough to play, the Lions can activate him — at any time — to the active roster. At that time the Lions would be forced to remove a player from the 53-man roster in order to make room for Coleman.
If it is determined Coleman is not healthy enough to return to game action, the Lions’ second option is to place him on long-term injured reserve, thus ending his season.
Darryl Roberts has been filling in as the Lions starting slot corner during Coleman’s absence — and has been acceptable — but Coleman is the clear starter and will give the Lions secondary an immediate boost once healthy.