For the second straight week, the Detroit Lions have placed a starting cornerback on injured reserve.
The Lions moved rookie third-round pick Ifeatu Melifonwu to IR Wednesday and signed Daryl Worley off their practice squad.
Melifonwu suffered what Lions coach Dan Campbell termed a “bad” quadriceps injury in Monday night’s 35-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
MONDAY NIGHT AFTERMATH: Dan Campbell puts Lions’ Monday loss squarely on offense — and it makes sense
Melifonwu, making his first start in place of the injured Jeff Okudah, was hurt while covering Packers receiver Davante Adams on a 50-yard pass in the third quarter. He pulled up and grabbed his leg just as Adams caught the ball.
“He’s going to be down for a significant amount of time,” Campbell said Tuesday. “Certainly won’t have him for at least a couple of weeks if not more.”
Okudah, a first-round pick in 2020, ruptured his Achilles tendon in the Lions’ season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers and will miss the rest of the year.
More: Dan Campbell puts Lions’ Monday loss squarely on offense — and it makes sense
The Lions opened the season with the youngest secondary in the NFL, starting Okudah, 2019 third-round pick Amani Oruwariye and undrafted rookie A.J. Parker at cornerback, with rookies Melifonwu and Jerry Jacobs, and second-year converted safety Bobby Price as backups.
Campbell said Price played “pretty good” in 32 defensive snaps against the Packers and could be next in line to start this week against the Baltimore Ravens. Price made three tackles against the Packers, and allowed completions on two of the four passes thrown in his direction, for 9 yards, according to Pro Football Reference.
Worley signed with the Lions’ practice squad last week. He has made 54 starts in his five-year career and is now the most experienced cornerback on the roster.
The Lions also signed kicker Ryan Santoso to their practice squad Wednesday.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.