The Detroit Lions are placing their best cornerback, Justin Coleman, on injured reserve.
Coleman was one of two Lions cornerbacks to suffer a hamstring injury in Sunday’s season-opening loss to the Chicago Bears and is one of three corners dealing with the injury overall.
Starter Desmond Trufant also left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, and rookie Jeff Okudah missed the opener with a pulled hamstring.
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The Lions finished Sunday’s game with Amani Oruwariye, Tony McRae and Darryl Roberts at cornerback, and are hosting four defensive backs for workouts his week.
Coleman will miss at least three games, per the NFL’s new IR rules, Including this week against the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers, who threw for four touchdowns in a win over the Minnesota Vikings last week.
The Lions visit Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 and Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints in Week 4, then have a Week 5 bye.
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At 0-1, and with three of the best quarterbacks and receivers (Davante Adams, DeAndre Hopkins and Michael Thomas) up next on their schedule, the Lions are in danger of having their season slip away by the quarter pole.
Okudah, the No. 3 pick in the draft, could return his week, and the Lions likely will add a free agent defensive back from their workout and could promote Dee Virgin from the practice squad.
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