Getty Jashon Cornell gets a sack against MSU.
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Jashon Cornell was carted off the field with what looked like a tough leg injury, and the news hasn’t gotten any better with the benefit of time.
While the specifics aren’t completely in as of yet and there is no diagnosis, the prognosis doesn’t look good for Cornell. It’s a leg injury and Matt Patricia referred to the ailment as “pretty severe” during his late afternoon press conference on Tuesday.
Head coach Matt Patricia said injury suffered by DT Jashon Cornell today was “pretty severe”
Without speculating on the actual ailment, it’s still worth noting that If the injury is being referred to as pretty severe, it could be a good bet that most of Cornell’s 2020 season could be lost. That would certainly be an unfortunate break for a player who could have cracked the roster or at the very least the practice squad with a solid camp.
Jashon Cornell Injured in Practice
A defensive lineman out of Ohio State, most figured Cornell could push for a rotational role with the Lions considering his ability to push the pocket up front. Unfortunately, Cornell’s bid to make a difference for the team in 2020 could have hit the skids early in camp.
Tuesday morning, Cornell was carted off the field after sustaining what reporters called a serious looking leg injury.
Jashon Cornell suffered what looked to be a bad lower left leg injury in one-on-one pass rush at Lions practice Tuesday. Went down in the middle of his rush and was carted off.
It was merely the second day of padded practice for the Lions, but the team is going hard due to the fact they have no preseason games this season. Fortunately, it’s been their only injury during practice thus far.
Jashon Cornell Called Underrated Talent
The hope is that the injury is not serious, because Cornell was an under the radar talent. According to Pro Football Focus, Cornell was one of the most productive interior defensive players in college football last season. Interestingly, his 90.2 rating compared favorably with Derrick Brown, a player the Lions were reportedly considering selecting in the No. 3 slot of the draft.
Cornell, of course, slipped to Detroit with a late pick considering he wasn’t high on the depth chart while playing with the Ohio State Buckeyes until his solid senior season, but obviously, these numbers show there is pro potential for the player once he takes the next step into the league.
Another thing working to Cornell’s advantage? He joins a Detroit defensive line that has not added much this offseason. Fellow rookie tackle John Penisini was the only player drafted from the class, and they will join Danny Shelton in the middle of the line. Obviously, the chance is there for Cornell to show he belongs if and when he gets healthy.
Lions Defensive Line Cannot Lose More Depth
Detroit’s defensive line cannot stand to lose much else off their roster at this point in time. The Lions picked up Danny Shelton this offseason and drafted John Penisini and Julian Okwara. They’ve also got Da’Shawn Hand and Trey Flowers who they expect to play a starring role, and depth pieces like Kevin Strong, Austin Bryant, Romeo Okwara. If there was one spot the Lions couldn’t lose a contributor, it was up front and along the defensive line.
There’s still plenty of time left and plenty of chance to snag a free agent contributor if the need arises, but for now, Cornell’s loss will be felt in terms of depth.
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