Tag: Emmanuel Moseley

Lions begin clock for two injured defenders to return from I.R.

The Lions are starting the 21-day return window for injured DBs Emmanuel Moseley and Ifeatu Melifonwu

Lions head coach Dan Campbell offered some positive injury news on two Detroit defenders who are set to return from the injured reserve list. The Lions are starting the 21-day windows to return for cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and safety Ifeatu Melifonwu as of today, November 6th.

Almost as an afterthought at the end of his press conference on Wednesday, Campbell added this nugget,

“Oh, we are going to start the clock on E-Man (Moseley) and Iffy (Melifonwu).”

Moseley has been out since tearing a pectoral muscle during the preseason. He had been the Lions’ first-team slot corner prior to his injury. The veteran corner has played just two regular season snaps in over two years after tearing each ACL, one with the 49ers in 2022 and another last year with Detroit.

Melifonwu also has not played in 2024. He has been sidelined with an ankle injury since the Lions’ second preseason game and practiced just twice before being placed on I.R. earlier this season. Melifonwu was repping as the Lions’ second-team strong safety behind Brian Branch prior to suffering his injury.

Moseley and Melifonwu are eligible to be activated at any time. They must be activated from I.R. before November 27th or else they are lost for the rest of the season and postseason.

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Dan Campbell says Emmanuel Moseley will be returning to action

Lions coach Dan Campbell says injured CB Emmanuel Moseley will be returning to action before the season ends

Emmanuel Moseley has been largely out of the minds of Lions fans since suffering a torn pectoral muscle during the first days of training camp. However, the cornerback traveled with the Lions to Minnesota and was in the locker room after the glorious win over the Vikings.

Moseley remains on the I.R., where he was placed prior to the router cutdowns. He was one of the Detroit players designated to return from I.R. in the NFL’s new rule that allows teams to get back two players placed on I.R. before the 53-man roster is set.

Prior to Wednesday’s practice session, Campbell was asked about Moseley’s recovery status. When asked if there was any chance the veteran CB could return, Campbell quickly affirmed it.

“Yeah, yeah there is,” Campbell responded.

Coach Campbell continued,

“I can’t tell you how close, but yeah–we’re going to get him back. It’s just a matter of when is that? He’s doing pretty good. He’s really progressed nicely.”

Moseley has battled major injuries for the last three years, including his 2022 season with the 49ers. He tore his left ACL after four games that year. After joining the Lions as a free agent in 2023, Moseley lasted exactly two snaps before tearing the ACL in his right knee.

He had been working with the first-team defense as a slot corner before getting injured this summer. Amik Robertson has played quite capably in that role through the first six games, but any return from Moseley–a very popular and respected teammate–would be a welcomed addition to the Detroit depth chart.

 

Lions bye week medical status report and outlook for return

Lions bye week medical status report and outlook for return for players like Frank Ragnow, Derrick Barnes, Ifeatu Melifonwu and more

With four games in the books and entering the bye week, it’s a good time to recap where the Lions are at from a medical standpoint. Overall, despite some injuries, the Lions are in good shape coming out of the bye.

Not listed here are a couple pending concerns from the Seahawks game in Kerby Joseph and Carlton Davis (see my postgame article for details).

MAJOR LOSSES

Marcus Davenport, DE

Davenport missed game two due to a groin injury and game four due to a left elbow injury. The elbow is expected to be a season-ender.

Signed to a 1-year contract as a free agent, the Lions were hoping that Davenport would solidify the edge position opposite Aidan Hutchinson.

With Davenport out, Levi Onwuzurike, Josh Paschal, and James Houston will have increased opportunities.

Derrick Barnes, LB

This versatile LB took a direct impact on his right knee in game three, which may have caused a hyperextension, MCL sprain, and possibly more. He was placed on IR after the game.

The earliest he could return is Week 9 vs the Packers, but he’s expected to be out longer than that with the possibility it’s even a season-ender.

With Barnes out, Malcolm Rodriguez and Ben Niemann saw a big increase in snaps at the LB position against the Seahawks.

MINOR LOSSES

Frank Ragnow, C

This 2nd-team All-Pro is a major player, but he’s in the minor category because his left pec injury is not expected to be a long-term issue. He hurt the pec early in game three and missed game four.

The diagnosis is a partially-torn pec which translates to a grade 1 or 2 strain. If the strain is mild and does not involve the tendon, Ragnow could be back after the bye vs the Cowboys. Even if a longer recovery is needed, I would not expect him to be out much longer than that. He was not placed on IR which suggests an injury of less than four weeks.

To fill Ragnow’s void, Graham Glasgow moved from LG to C, and Kayode Awosika inserted at LG. Both played well against the Seahawks.

Ifeatu Melifonwu, S

A persistent ankle issue landed Melifonwu on IR before game four. The injury suffered likely in the second preseason game on August 17 was not initially expected to be a long-term issue, otherwise the Lions would have put him on IR much sooner. Melifonwu’s earliest possible return is in week nine vs the Packers.

If starters Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph stay healthy, Melifonwu’s absence is not a major problem. But if either go down, it would be valuable to have Melifonwu who made numerous splash plays in the second half of last season.

REINFORCEMENTS COMING SOON

Brodric Martin, DT

This 2023 3rd-round pick hyperextended his right knee on August 24 and was placed on IR at the 53-man cutdown. This means he could return to the team at any time now although Dan Campbell’s comments suggest he is not quite ready yet. I would expect him to start practicing sometime in the next three weeks.

With the loss of Davenport for the year, having Martin available on the defensive line will give the Lions more flexibility if they choose to play Levi Onwuzurike at the DE position.

Christian Mahogany, OG

The Lions 6th-round pick missed all of camp due to mononucleosis and started the season on NFI (non-football-injury). He is now eligible to return anytime and Dan Campbell says he is close.

His mono was likely diagnosed around July 20 and is typically a 3-4 week recovery unless there are complications like persistent splenomegaly. He was able to resume training before the start of the regular season which was a good sign.

Mahogany’s return is dependent on his strength, conditioning, and mental readiness. For a rookie who missed all of camp, the mental game might be the limiting factor.

I’m not expecting Mahogany to play much of a role this season, but any injuries to the guys ahead of him could change things in a hurry.

LONG RANGE HOPEFULS

Emmanuel Moseley, CB

After two straight ACL tears, Moseley tore his pec around August 5 this year. Assuming this was a complete rupture, expect a return around Thanksgiving if he follows the same 16-week timeline as CJ Gardner-Johnson of last year.

John Cominsky, DT/DE

An MCL tear on July 30 was complicated enough to require surgery. The initial estimated recovery was 5-6 months which would mean a return in January-February. Optimistically, the fact that Cominsky made the initial 53-man roster before being placed on IR means the Lions think there is a chance of a return this year.

Lions injury breakdown: Emmanuel Moseley torn pec outlook, possible return from I.R.

Lions injury breakdown: cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and his torn pec outlook, possible return from I.R. timeline

With the news that Emmanuel Moseley has taken one of the two “designated-to-return” IR slots at the 53-man cutdown, here is an analysis of what to expect from the 28-year-old cornerback after his 3rd major injury in three years. By being placed on the “designated-to-return” list, he must sit out at least the first four games of the season.

Medical history

August 5, 2024: Torn pectoral

October 8, 2023: Torn right ACL

October 9, 2022: Torn left ACL

Making an educated guess at a return date is complicated by the wide variety of pec tear types, as well as the possibility of a partial tear that may not require surgery. A full tear with surgery is typically about a 4-month recovery.

For comparison, C.J. Gardner-Johnson was able to return in 16 weeks last year.


If Moseley follows the same timeline, he would be back for Thanksgiving, which would give him 6 games in the regular season plus the playoffs.

There’s a chance he could be back earlier than 16 weeks, as evidenced by these cases:

-J.J. Watt in 2019 had surgery and returned in 9 weeks, but he may have come back earlier than recommended because it was the playoffs.

-T.J. Watt in 2022 did not have surgery and returned in 8 weeks.

-Marcus Williams in 2023 did not have surgery and returned in 4 weeks.

Outlook

Keep an eye out for reports of whether Moseley had surgery or not. If he had surgery, then we should hope to hear him start practicing in early November, with a return starting around Thanksgiving. If he did not have surgery, then a much sooner return is likely.

Once Moseley returns, I would not expect the pec injury to affect his play because of his position at defensive back. It is not an upper-body, strength-dominant position like with a lineman. With how common it is for cornerbacks to be sidelined with injury, as well as the need for multiple cornerbacks to be active for a game, Moseley has a very good chance to be an impactful player for the Lions later this season.

Lions to place Emmanuel Moseley on injured reserve, eligible to return later in season

Lions to place Emmanuel Moseley on injured reserve, eligible to return later in season

The Lions are placing cornerback Emmanuel Moseley on injured reserve, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He will be eligible to return to the team later this season.

Moseley suffered a pectoral injury a few weeks ago during the early stages of training camp. This after Moseley was returning from a second straight ACL tear suffered last season.

Moseley will be one of the two Lions designated for return from injured reserve before the initial 53-man roster is set, a new rule for this season. Previously, players had to be a part of the initial 53 before heading to IR to be eligible for return. Defensive end John Cominsky will be the other.

Moseley appeared in one game for the Lions in 2023, his first season in Detroit, before tearing his ACL. Before coming to Detroit, Moseley played five seasons in San Francisco, playing in 45 games with 33 starts.

Emmanuel Moseley on playing nickel: ‘I like to put my face in the fan and make people feel me’

Emmanuel Moseley on playing nickel: ‘I like to put my face in the fan and make people feel me’

The Lions revamped their secondary this offseason, including drafting cornerbacks with their first two picks of the 2024 draft in Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw. Detroit also traded for Carlton Davis from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One other player that should help make an impact, when healthy, is Emmanuel Moseley. Moseley has suffered a torn ACL in each of the last two seasons, including last October, just two snaps into his Lions debut. Moseley was cleared to practice just days before the team began practice and is already in the mix in the backfield. He received the first reps at the nickel position, a spot he has grown very comfortable with since his early days in San Francisco.

“That’s really how I made (the 49ers) those years is being able to play both nickel and (outside) corner,” Moseley said, via Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network. “Played nickel a few games, started getting the hang of it and started loving it. Then they switched me outside and I did pretty good there, but it gave me the confidence that I could play both. Playing both lets me learn the defense, in and out. If I can play both, I’m going to learn it faster and be able to contribute more.”

Moseley loves how physical the position is and how he fits very well in the spot. “At the nickel, you’re in that run game and I’m a physical player,” Moseley said (H/T Rogers). “I like to hit. That’s one of my things, I like to put my face in the fan and make people feel me. That’s what I love about nickel.”

Moseley has played a full season just once, in 2019, but when healthy, he can be a factor on defense. He has an interception in each of the last four seasons he has played in with 33 passes defended. He’ll be part of what should be an interesting battle behind Davis and Arnold among the cornerbacks. But being cleared and getting early reps is a huge win for Moseley.

New Lions DT D.J. Reader might not be ready to start training camp

Head coach Dan Campbell indicated Lions DT D.J. Reader might not be ready to start training camp as he recovers from a torn quadriceps.

With mandatory minicamp wrapping up on Thursday, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell provided a bit of a health update on a couple of free agent signees who have been out with injuries.

Most notably, Campbell offered the first real sense of a timeline for defensive tackle D.J. Reader. Signed as a priority early in the free agency process, Reader is still recovering from a torn quadriceps that ended his 2023 season with the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Yeah, I would say Reader would be the one who – he’ll be a decision on at what point is he ready to start practicing,” Campbell said of the projected starter. “But that’s not something that we’re caught off guard by. We knew this would take a minute here. I would anticipate everybody else to be pretty close to ready, if not it’s going to be tight. It’ll be enough to where they’re going to get a really good amount of training camp work, if that makes sense.

So no, there’s nobody that I’m alarmed by. I would say Reader is probably the one that’s going to take a minute.”

Earlier this offseason, Reader talked optimistically about his recovery. It’s the same injury he suffered in 2020. Reader suffered this latest injury in mid-December, which puts him at a little over six months out. With training camp starting in another seven or so weeks, that gives Reader almost eight full months of recovery.

Campbell indicated that every other currently sidelined player should be “pretty close to ready” to start training camp. That list includes CB Emmanuel Moseley, LT Taylor Decker, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, DB Brian Branch, S Kerby Joseph and EDGE Marcus Davenport.

Terrion Arnold: What the Lions are getting with their first-round cornerback

Terrion Arnold: Breaking down what the Lions are getting with their first-round cornerback with film study from Russell Brown

It was shocking to see Terrion Arnold become available at the 24th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. It was expected that teams such as the Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars would be “all-in” on Arnold but instead they all passed. This opened the door for Lions General Manager Brad Holmes to make a phone call and get aggressive.

He did just that.

When the 24th overall pick showed the Cowboys logo, the hundreds of thousands Detroit fans in attendance were booing. Suddenly, the Lions logo flashed, and the crowd got loud and went nuts. Once NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell walked across the stage and announced Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold as the Lions pick, the crowd got louder and erupted with approval of the selection.

Arnold walked across the stage, held up the Lions jersey and announced to the crowd that “they got a star” and that “he was home.” Since then, we’ve seen clips of Arnold talking with family about getting and wanting a gold jacket. Meaning he wants to make a name for himself and make it to the Hall of Fame.

Everything about Terrion Arnold feels different. It’s not like most players that get drafted and are just “thankful for the opportunity” or “just can’t wait to get started.” Arnold wants to be great and it shines through his smile and everything he says.

Now we’ll see what he does when he steps onto the field in Detroit. For now, we can review his tape at Alabama this past season. So let’s do that and see what the Lions are getting with cornerback Terrion Arnold!

The first play I want to highlight is from the SEC Championship game between Alabama and Georgia. On the bottom of the screen, you’ll see Alabama CB Terrion Arnold (3) matched up against Georgia WR Ladd McConkey (84).

Aligned in press-man, Arnold is faced with the tough task of covering McConkey at the line of scrimmage. The reason that task is so tough is due to the release packages that McConkey has at his disposal. Labeled as one of the better and more fluid route runners in the 2024 NFL Draft, Arnold had to be at his best when matched up against him.

The play above shows just that as Arnold uses his hands to work against McConkey. Meanwhile, as the route breaks inside, Arnold flashes patience, quick feet and good fluidity to change direction and stay in the hip pocket of the receiver. As the pass is delivered, you can see Arnold draped over the shoulder of McConkey and it helps him stay in position to breakup the pass.

Moving onto the Rose Bowl matchup between Alabama and Michigan, Arnold is aligned in the slot. Matched up against the tight end, he looks more than comfortable for any route that threatens the defense vertically. Meanwhile, he reads the shoulders of the tight end right away.

Once the tight end fully turns, Arnold knows that a quicker route is being run, and he quickly closes the gap between himself and the tight end. Seeing the ball in the air, Arnold gets in position to play through the hands of the tight end to break up the pass.

Lastly, I want to highlight one of Arnold’s five interceptions in 2023. In the play above, the Kentucky offense uses a trip left formation. Arnold is highlighted, and prior to the snap, he communicates with the rest of the defense. There’s even an instance where two defenders are staring at Arnold as he communicates.

Aligned in off-man, you’ll notice the fluidity from Arnold. His tape is filled with plays just like this, where he’s able to flip his hips and stay in position due to quick feet and good pad level. As the receiver breaks towards the sideline, you’ll notice how Arnold is in great positioning to stay on top of the route.

Reading the eyes of the quarterback from the far hash, he knows he can jump this route and he does just that and it leads to the interception. These types of ball skills and instincts were missing from the Lions secondary last season and Arnold should be able to develop into a playmaker in Detroit.

Overall, there’s so much to love when watching Terrion Arnold play football. Depending on who you talk with, he was potentially the best defensive player in the 2024 NFL Draft. If he weren’t, he would have been a close second. Most cornerbacks that have his talent end up being selected somewhere in the top 20, but fortunately, the offensive talent in the draft pushed him right into reaching distance for Brad Holmes and the Lions to strike.

For Arnold, he’s a good athlete and it shows. He’s a former high school basketball player and he also ran track. In basketball, he averaged 8.8 PPG and 4 RPG while having a PR of 23.92 seconds in the 200-meter dash for track and field.

In football, Arnold excels in man coverage with his press-man skills. He plays physical and loves contact and competition from the opposition. His aggressiveness will get him trouble as it appears to cause his technique to get wild or it’ll take him out of position. But his fluidity, effort and ability to press and lockdown receivers is encouraging for his development in the NFL.

There’s potential for him to be a starter from day one but fortunately, the Lions have enough veteran depth that he can ease his way into a starting role for Detroit. With how talented and competitive Arnold is, it wouldn’t be surprising if he started right away for Detroit. It’s easy to see why he’s the perfect fit for the Lions defense. 

Lions have a long term plan at cornerback after the 2024 NFL Draft

Lions have a long term plan at cornerback after using their first two picks of the 2024 NFL Draft on Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw

Catching Lions fans by surprise, the Detroit Lions selected Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw with the 61st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This caught fans off guard because on the opening night of the draft, the Lions moved up and selected Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold with the 24th overall pick.

Now some may look at Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell and say they’re trying to be the “smartest guys in the room” by doubling down at the cornerback position. Before you think that, just look at what the Philadelphia Eagles did with their first two picks of the year. They did the exact same thing so let’s just hit the brakes.

Fortunately, there’s a general consensus to trust Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell when it comes to the way they attack the draft process They operate with conviction and they trust their process. For the 2024 NFL Draft, not only did the Lions draft good football players but they showed that they’re preparing for the future.

It’s not a move that we’ve seen very often as Lions fans but a long term plan at the cornerback position is a smart move by Detroit. For starters, they only have Carlton Davis and Emmanuel Moseley under contract for this upcoming season. Additionally, they only signed Amik Robertson to a two-year contract.

https://x.com/RussNFLDraft/status/1784030416883597314

Despite having those veteran defensive backs, there’s longevity concerns with Davis and Moseley. Both players have dealt with multiple injuries over the last two seasons. Most importantly, it was clear that the Lions had issues in the secondary last season.

The Lions allowed the 6th most passing yards per game (247.4 passing yards) and the 6th most passing touchdowns (28 passing touchdowns) in the NFL last season. Getting a plan in place to improve their secondary was a priority this off-season and it’s clear the Lions front office felt the same way.

https://x.com/RussNFLDraft/status/1783900797643985353

Adding Rakestraw and Arnold gives the Lions their future number one and number two cornerbacks. They are the exact type of players that the Lions value. Tough and hard nosed football players that get after it every chance they get. For both players, I described them both as willing run defenders that embrace contact on the perimeter.

According to PFF run defense scores, the top-2 scores belong to Arnold (90.6) and Rakestraw (89.0). Those are the exact players that will be valued in Detroit under this regime. Here’s my overall projections on both players from my 2024 NFL Draft Guide:

Terrion Arnold — “Arnold enters the NFL with the projection of being a number one cornerback. Defenses searching for a corner that excels in man coverage will love the talent possessed by Arnold. He plays physical and loves contact and competition from the opposition. His aggressiveness will get him trouble as it appears to cause his technique to get wild or it’ll take him out of position. But his fluidity, effort and ability to press and lockdown receivers is encouraging for his development in the NFL.”

Ennis Rakestraw — “Rakestraw is a highly competitive cornerback that is tough and physical. His length helps him jam and redirect defenders while battling at the catch point. Productive in both man and zone coverage, he appears best suited as a press-man corner in the NFL. His aggressiveness in the run game is a plus on the perimeter but his physicality can become troublesome downfield in coverage. If Rakestraw can stay healthy, he can be a number two cornerback in a defense looking for another man defender.”

With Terrion Arnold, he needs to clean up some of his lower body technique as he tends to leave his feet too early and his lower half doesn’t always follow or flow evenly with the rest of his body.

As for Rakestraw, he will get flagged due to his physical nature but the biggest key for him is staying healthy. The ACL injury in 2021 and groin injury in 2023 will be worth monitoring. Oddly enough, I compared Rakestraw to current Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley.

No matter the pro comparisons and some of the slight knocks to both players games, I’m very excited for their development in Detroit. To me, the Lions got great value with Rakestraw and in all honesty, the same could be said about Arnold. After all, the Crimson Tide defender was my top ranked corner and my 14th ranked player in the draft.

Getting better on defense was clearly a big part of the Lions agenda this off-season. Fortunately, they developed a plan and stuck to it. On paper, it makes sense and appears to be a great plan. We’ll see how it transitions to success on the field but right now, the future looks bright in the Lions secondary.

Stay or go: Predicting the fate of all the Detroit Lions free agents

Which of the 18 unrestricted free agents will the Lions keep, and which ones will be suiting up elsewhere in 2024?

One of the harder parts of the offseason for NFL front offices is deciding which free agents they want to keep and which ones will have to leave. It’s a process Lions GM Brad Holmes and his Detroit front office staff are facing in the coming days.

The Lions have already made a couple of decisions, bringing back LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin and K Michael Badgley as pending free agents. That brings the total of unrestricted free agents for the Lions to 18 when the new league year starts on Wednesday, March 13th at 4 p.m. ET.

Which of the 18 unrestricted free agents will the Lions keep, and which ones will be suiting up elsewhere in 2024?