Lions punt returner Kalif Raymond is reportedly moving to IR, but there is some good news regarding his injury.
According to a report from Ian Rapoport, Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond is heading to injured reserve, but there is good news that comes along with that. Per Rapoport, Raymond is expected to return this season, and could even be back before the regular season ends.
Raymond injured his foot in Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts during a punt return. He was carted off the field (twice), and will now be forced to miss at least the next four games. He’s eligible to return in Week 17 against the San Francisco 49ers.
All things considered, this is probably net-positive news given that coach Dan Campbell said earlier in the week it could be a season-ending injury.
“Could be, but I don’t know that for sure,” Campbell said Tuesday. I don’t want to—the first word we got was positive, we’re just waiting on a second opinion.”
Raymond hadn’t been as involved in the passing game as he had been in previous years, catching just 16 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns. That said, he remained a key part of Detroit’s special teams as their primary punt returner. Raymond currently leads the NFL in punt return yards (390) and is second in yards per return (14.4).
It’s unclear how the Lions will proceed without Raymond in the lineup. On Tuesday, Campbell said that they wouldn’t put Amon-Ra St. Brown back there again this week, then later in the day he joked that they will. Detroit has some returner options currently on their practice squad, including Donovan Peoples-Jones and Maurice Alexander, among others.
