ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions veteran cornerback Khalil Dorsey has dealt with a series of multiple roadblocks hindering him from being a contributor to the team.
It started last season, when he broke his leg in a Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field. Dorsey began an extensive recovery process to prepare for his 2025 campaign, which was successful, as he touched the field in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers.
Unfortunately for him, he not only entered concussion protocol after a Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns but also suffered a wrist injury during practice so severe that the Lions placed him on injured reserve.
Being a spectator was not easy for Dorsey, especially given how the defense excelled under Kelvin Sheppard and the struggles with the special teams unit, as he is one of their gunners.
However, now he has a chance to help in both areas.
The Lions not only opened his 21-Day practice window early this week. But on Saturday, the team activated him from the injured reserve list, providing an immediate boost to their special teams unit as they host the New York Giants on Sunday at Ford Field.
“I’m ready to contribute,” Dorsey told MLive. “I feel like I’ve been watching them — they’ve been balling out, they’ve been balling out on defense. Like, them boys deserve it. So to come (back) in here, and I feel like I can add to it instead of replacing somebody or something like that. I feel like it’ll definitely be a positive.”
With his heavily protected club arm to protect his wrist, Dorsey feels he’d immediately be a help when it comes to punchouts and provide the additional depth to an injury-riddled Lions secondary, including starting cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold.
Dorsey also shared that the recent injury gave his body more time to heal in general. During his time away from the team, he played with his boxer, Bruno, and enjoyed his girlfriend’s fine cooking to help ease his mind.
But as a competitor, being shelved once again wasn’t easy for him, especially since the Lions saw enough in him to re-sign him in March even after breaking his leg.
“It’s difficult. It definitely messes with your mind,” Dorsey said. “I’ve gone through it before in terms of my shoulder surgeries — first year on the Ravens, second year on the (Baltimore) Ravens — so it’s like you can only control what you can control.
“I’m giving it my all, my body’s giving out, and it’s like they still see the value in me. That’s why they kept me here, and it’s not like a settlement kind of a thing. So it’s kind of just trying to prove to them in terms of why they kept me.”
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