Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw has suffered a shoulder injury that will keep him out of action for several weeks, coach Dan Campbell confirmed on Tuesday.
The injury occurred in the Lions' preseason-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, when Rakestraw took a hit from teammate Devin White and then landed awkwardly on his shoulder while making a tackle on Bengals running back Tahj Brooks.
Campbell downplayed the severity of the injury, stating that Rakestraw had suffered a contusion in the arm and was experiencing numbness, but was otherwise okay.
Rakestraw has had his fair share of injury woes in his young NFL career, missing eight games as a rookie due to a hamstring injury and the entire 2024 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. He is currently battling for a backup cornerback job behind D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin.
The Lions' secondary is already dealing with another issue, as defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo left the game to be evaluated for a concussion after a friendly-fire collision with defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard just before halftime.
Safety Loren Strickland will also undergo an MRI on his left leg on Friday, after pulling up in pass coverage in the third quarter.
Rakestraw's injury is a significant blow to the Lions, who are still looking to solidify their depth at cornerback. The 2024 second-round pick had shown promise in his first two seasons, but has struggled to stay healthy.
The Lions will now have to rely on other players to fill the void left by Rakestraw's injury, which could potentially impact their chances in the upcoming season.
The Lions' next preseason game is scheduled for next week, but Rakestraw's status for that game is uncertain.
Source: Yahoo Sports