{"id":19263,"date":"2024-11-27T17:40:45","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T17:40:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=19263"},"modified":"2024-11-27T17:40:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T17:40:45","slug":"lions-to-place-wr-kalif-raymond-on-ir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=19263","title":{"rendered":"Lions To Place WR Kalif Raymond On IR"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Lions will be without their primary punt returner for an extended stretch as a result of a Week 12 injury. They are placing Kalif Raymond<\/a><\/strong> on IR, NFL.com\u2019s Ian Rapoport notes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Sustaining a foot injury, Raymond is not expected to miss the rest of the season. The Lions, who have five injury activations remaining<\/a>, will likely hold one open for their top return man\/auxiliary wide receiver moving forward. Raymond is in play to return before the regular season ends, per Rapoport; he would be eligible to come back in Week 17.<\/p>\n

A journeyman before coming to Detroit, Raymond was in on the ground floor of Dan Campbell<\/strong>\u2018s rebuild. The Lions have rostered Raymond since Campbell and GM Brad Holmes<\/strong> arrived in 2021. The veteran wideout has signed three contracts with the team, the most recent a two-year deal worth $10.5MM<\/a>. That pact runs through the 2025 season.<\/p>\n

While Raymond has been one of the NFL\u2019s better punt returners for a while, he has also helped an explosive Lions offense. He has 16 receptions for 204 yards and two touchdowns this season. That came after the 5-foot-8 weapon totaled 489 yards in 2023 and a career-high 616 in 2022. The Lions have turned to Jameson Williams<\/a><\/strong> as a regular this season, limiting the opportunities for their tertiary wideouts. Tim Patrick<\/a><\/strong> has become a regular in Ben Johnson<\/strong>\u2018s offense as well.<\/p>\n

Raymond, 30, leads the NFL with 390 punt-return yards; this includes a 90-yard TD against the Titans last month. Raymond initially came over from Tennessee in 2021 and has been the Lions\u2019 top punt-return option since arriving. Amon-Ra St. Brown<\/a><\/strong> (two) has the only two non-Raymond punt returns for Detroit this season. Both came after Raymond went down. It will be interesting to see if the Lions continue using their No. 1 receiver in that niche role in a non-emergency circumstance this week.<\/p>\n

The 10-1 team already has two players \u2014 defensive lineman John Cominsky<\/a><\/strong> and linebacker Derrick Barnes<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 out with injuries that may allow for late-season returns. Both are on IR, though the team may need to reassess down the stretch in an effort to avoid burning through all of its activations. A playoff team that uses all eight of its regular-season activations, however, will receive two more in the postseason<\/a>. That 2024 rule change will allow the Lions more flexibility.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n