Lions Place All-Pro LB Jack Campbell on Injured Reserve After Neck Injury
Detroit's defensive captain will miss at least four games as he recovers from the neck injury that sent him off the field on a backboard against Minnesota
The Lions have officially placed linebacker Jack Campbell on injured reserve, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Saturday, a week after Campbell was carted off on a backboard with a neck injury against the Vikings.
The Lions officially placed LB Jack Campbell on injured reserve.View on X →
Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero): The Lions officially placed LB Jack Campbell on injured reserve.
The move guarantees Campbell misses at least the next four games. The first game he would be eligible to return for is Week 13 against the Falcons on Dec. 6, though nobody in Detroit is talking about a football timeline. In his statement Wednesday, Campbell said he has full movement in his lower body and is making progress with movement in his upper body, and coach Dan Campbell said Friday the linebacker was continuing to improve.
On the field, it formalizes a huge hole. Campbell, the Lions' defensive captain and a 2023 first-round pick, was an All-Pro last season, when he became the first player in seven years with 150-plus tackles, at least five sacks and three forced fumbles. He signed a four-year extension in May that runs through 2030.
Detroit has spent the week rebuilding the room. It signed K.J. Britt off the Patriots' practice squad and promoted Joe Bachie from its own practice squad, while rookie Jimmy Rolder went on IR with a hamstring injury. Trevor Nowaske is expected to start alongside Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez.
Campbell's roster spot went to cornerback Nick Whiteside, who was signed from the practice squad with top corner D.J. Reed out with a hip injury. The Lions (5-2) also elevated edge Anthony Lucas and running back Jabari Small for Sunday's game at the 1-6 Dolphins.