The Detroit Lions have endured a rash of injuries thus far during the 2022 season, and that fact isn’t slowing down heading into Week 3.
Coming out of the game against the Washington Commanders, defensive lineman John Cominsky was said to be dealing with a hand injury. The severity of said injury was not immediately known, but folks got a better idea of that on Wednesday, September 21.
As it turns out, Cominsky’s ailment was bad enough to require surgery and force him out of the lineup.
Speaking to the media, Dan Campbell revealed to reporters including Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com that Cominsky had surgery to fix the hand injury and will now be out.
John Cominsky had surgery on hand this week and will be out for a bit
“John Cominsky had surgery on hand this week and will be out for a bit,” Twentyman tweeted after listening to Campbell speak.
There was better news than that for the team, though. Center Frank Ragnow returned to practice, and the Lions also watched as cornerback Amani Oruwariye returned. Those would be big additions back to the lineup.
Without Cominsky, though, the Lions will have plenty of questions to answer up front.
Players Who Could Replace Cominsky
The Lions will have to rely on their depth up front to shine through again minus Cominsky, who’s been solid in a pass rushing and grit role for the team.
One potential player who could figure as a major replacement up front is Demetrius Taylor. An undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State, Taylor played a starring role during the preseason and was one of the team’s easy standouts.
Additionally, others who could see more snaps are defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs as well as Benito Jones, who was plucked off waivers. While this new pair is young and underrated, the chance exists for them to get a big opportunity and run with it now minus Cominsky for a while.
Veteran Michael Brockers also has a chance to step up for the team and make his presence felt.
The Lions will have to hope that rookie Josh Paschal’s recovery is going well in addition to Levi Onwuzurike. Each of those players is fighting injury and trying to come back. Theoretically, both could come off injured reserve around Week 4 or Week 5.
Cominsky Solid for Lions’ Defense
While many other defenders may have received more love for their play, it’s been clear from the start that Cominsky was bringing a big edge to the team.
Statistically, Cominsky didn’t have the hugest day on the field the last two weeks with just two tackles and one sack, but energy-wise, he continued to show his strength to the roster and the defense. Constantly, he has collapsed the pocket.
It’s been clear Lions aren’t simply looking for stats when it comes to their defense. A player like Cominsky who does the right thing and is responsible while brining the energy will always be something that wins out for the staff.
The hope is that Cominsky can heal up and come back sooner rather than later to a defensive line that needs him in a big way.
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Key Lions Defender Undergoes Surgery; New Players Forced to Step Up