ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions will be without cornerback Ennis Rakestraw for the entire season.
Rakestraw underwent shoulder surgery for an injury suffered in training camp and was placed on injured reserve. Last year’s second-round pick posted a photo of himself going into surgery on Thursday, and then the Lions moved him to injured reserve a couple of hours later.
Rakestraw left Sunday’s practice earlier this week with the injury. It was his second time leaving a training camp practice in the first two weeks. Rakestraw managed to play in the Hall of Fame Game, though, logging 28 defensive snaps and a team-leading 15 snaps on special teams.
It’s been a tough first two years in the league for the former Missouri standout. Hamstring injuries hampered Rakestraw’s rookie campaign. He was limited to eight games, with just 46 defensive snaps and another 95 on special teams.
Before that injury, he flashed in his first training camp this time last year. Rakestraw previously said he was in line to start early last season at slot corner, but a pre-game injury ended those plans.
Rakestraw posted a video to TikTok on Thursday, looking clearly disappointed with the caption, “Words can’t describe the way I feel.”
“I’ll be back soon,” the video caption reads. “Been a rough two years. But I’ll never question God. Just want to play the game I love dearly. And show my people who I am and the kids who grew up like me, it’s possible.
“So I’ll win in the end. Just been a blurry road I’ve been on. I know it’s a clear road ahead, just have to keep pushing.”
The Lions had moved Rakestraw to an outside-centric role through the offseason program and camp. They hoped his development would take off by taking more off his plate in the secondary for his season season.
But now his sophomore campaign is over before it began. The Lions have DJ Reed and Terrion Arnold as their starting outside cornerbacks. Amik Robertson is back for another run as the starting slot corner.
Arnold is working back from what the team referred to as a low-grade hamstring injury. There doesn’t seem to be much, if any, long-term concern with last year’s first-round pick as he is expected back in the next week.
Rock Ya-Sin has impressed in camp and the preseason to open his tenure in Detroit. The veteran cornerback brings the right blend of experience and versatility to help fill some of the gaps. It’s been an interesting month at cornerback, though, with the Lions signing five corners during that span, including two this week.
“Yeah, I mean, you hate it for the kid, you hate it,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said of Rakestraw’s situation earlier this week. “It’s not his fault, just one of those tough deals.
“All you can do is try to get it better and rehab, come back stronger and move on. That’s all you can do.”
The Lions also announced the addition of tight end Steven Stilianos. He is a former University of Iowa and UFL tight end for the San Antonio Brahmas, having played college football alongside Lions tight end Sam LaPorta and linebacker Jack Campbell.
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