The Detroit Lions received some encouraging injury news on Thursday, as veteran linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin returned to practice. Although he is still on injured reserve due to a neck injury sustained against the Green Bay Packers, this marks a positive step, as the Lions now have 21 days to assess his readiness. Reeves-Maybin can be activated from IR at any time, but the team has not yet confirmed when he will return to the field.
This development comes as a bit of a surprise, especially given the last update from head coach Dan Campbell on December 9. At that time, Campbell stated that while Reeves-Maybin was improving, his recovery was progressing slowly, and there was uncertainty about when or if he would be back this season.
The Lions would greatly benefit from Reeves-Maybin’s return, as their linebacker corps has been severely impacted by injuries. Along with Reeves-Maybin, Derrick Barnes, Alex Anzalone, and Malcolm Rodriguez are all on injured reserve, with only Anzalone expected to return this season. However, with Reeves-Maybin’s return, Trevor Nowaske back after missing the Bills game due to a concussion, and the recent addition of Anthony Pittman, the Lions’ linebacker group is starting to resemble its previous strength.
Without this depth, the Lions have had to rely on players brought in midseason, including Ezekiel Turner, David Long, Kwon Alexander, and Jamal Adams. Last week, the linebackers struggled to contain the Bills’ running backs and tight ends in the passing game, allowing eight catches for 156 yards to the running backs and six catches for 95 yards to the tight ends.
Reeves-Maybin has been one of Detroit’s top third-down and coverage linebackers, in addition to contributing on special teams. It remains to be seen how the Lions will handle his return, but it appears he could play a significant role during their playoff push.
