The Detroit Lions’ defense has suffered significant injuries, with defensive end Marcus Davenport and linebacker Derrick Barnes being placed on injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson on X, formerly known as Twitter.
To address their roster needs, the Lions have signed wide receiver Tim Patrick to the active roster and Morice Norris to the practice squad.
Davenport is expected to be out for the season, while Barnes will be sidelined for several weeks.“
Davenport is likely done for the year; it appears to be a season-ending injury,” head coach Dan Campbell stated, as reported by Christian Booker of SI.com. “We’re still seeking additional opinions on that.”
Davenport sustained an elbow injury during the Lions’ Week 3 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
He left the game in the third quarter but returned with a protective sleeve on his left arm.
The seven-year veteran has struggled with injuries throughout his career, having played only four games in 2023 for the Minnesota Vikings before joining the Lions in the offseason.
He will enter free agency again in 2025.Barnes injured his knee due to a low block from Cardinals offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., and the team is currently uncertain about the specific recovery timeline.
“We’re still evaluating that, and we’re getting second opinions,” Campbell said. “At this point, we know he’ll be out for a while.
It’s just a matter of how long once we receive those opinions. Since it’s his knee, we need to determine if he requires any procedures beyond the usual ligament considerations.
There’s a chance that the ligaments could heal on their own, but he’ll need time for recovery. Once healed, we’ll see if surgery is necessary.”
As the Lions prepare for their Week 4 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks at home, Campbell will need to make adjustments to his defensive lineup to compensate for these losses.