A second-round pick in 2024, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. was limited to 8 games because of injuries last season.
The Detroit Lions lost two young defensive backs to injury, and both could miss a significant amount of time.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said second-year cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is still gathering information on the right shoulder injury he suffered in practice Monday.
"I think it’s going to be a while, at best," Campbell said before practice Tuesday. "I think it’s going to be a while."
The Lions also placed rookie safety Dan Jackson on injured reserve, likely ending his season.
A seventh-round pick out of Georgia, Jackson injured his leg in practice Monday.
Players placed on injured reserve during training camp cannot play during the season, unless they are waived from IR once healthy.
"It doesn’t look good," Campbell said. "That’s another one we’re still, we’re sending this out to a few more places but it looks like he’s going to be down for a while."
Both Rakestraw and Jackson were competing for backup roles and expected to contribute on special teams this fall.
Rakestraw, a second-round pick in 2024, was limited to eight games as a rookie because of a slew of injuries. He missed time last spring while recovering from hernia surgery, sprained his ankle in training camp that cost him reps early in the season, then pulled a hamstring that eventually sent him to injured reserve.
He moved from slot to outside cornerback this offseason, but missed time early in camp with a chest injury. He was injured Monday on the first snap of the Lions' one-on-one tackling drill.
"You hate it for the kid," Campbell said. "You hate it. And it’s not his fault, just one of those tough deals. All you can do is try to get it better and rehab, come back stronger and move on. That’s all you can do."
The Lions' depth on defense already is being tested with more than a month till their regular season opener Sept. 7 against the Green Bay Packers.
Defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike underwent ACL surgery this spring and will miss the season, starting defensive tackle Alim McNeill is on the physically unable to perform list and likely out until midseason, and backups Mekhi Wingo and Josh Paschal are on PUP and NFI, respectively, and will miss the start of the year.
At linebacker, Malcolm Rodriguez will miss the first half of the season while recovering form the torn ACL he suffered last year and Khalil Dorsey is on PUP as he recovers from the broken leg he suffered last season.
With Jackson out, Erick Hallett, Ian Kennelly, Morice Norris and Loren Strickland are the leading candidates for the No. 4 safety spot, behind starters Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch and backup Avonte Maddox. Backup cornerback Rock Ya-Sin also played safety in practice this week.
The Lions signed cornerback Luq Barcoo to take Jackson's roster spot.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ennis Rakestraw injury update: Detroit Lions CB out 'a while, at best'
Category: Football
