The Detroit Lions' wide receiver and return man, Kalif Raymond, gave fans an injury scare when he collided with Samaje Perine during a punt return in the first quarter on Sunday. He left the game with a neck injury after the hard hit, putting his availability for Week 6 and beyond in serious jeopardy. On Monday, head coach Dan Campbell refused to provide more details on Raymond's injury, but said that he had avoided a serious injury, relaying what the veteran WR told him: "That didn't feel too good, but I'm good."
On Wednesday, Lions fans got an even better update from their dynamic playmaker. Lions wide receivers coach spoke to the media and said that the team is "very hopeful" for Raymond's availability against the Chiefs, per The Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett.
Kalif Raymond Is on Track to Suit Up vs. the Chiefs
This increases the odds of Raymond suiting up against the Chiefs by a significant margin. In his absence, Isaac TeSlaa took Raymond's place as the WR3, and Dominic Lovett took over as the punt returner. Upon Raymond's return, he will presumably take back those duties.
The 31-year-old receiver is continuing to have a small role in the offense despite playing 144 offensive snaps through five weeks. He has been utilized more as a blocker in the running game, while catching six passes for 47 yards. His value has come on special teams once again, already scoring a punt return touchdown, and returning two kickoffs for a total of 60 yards for the season.
Having as many key contributors healthy against the crucial Chiefs matchups will be important for Dan Campbell & Co. The Lions are once again dealing with significant injuries on the defensive side of the ball and will be extremely short-handed, especially in the secondary. Therefore, they can't afford to lose any of their firepower on the offensive end.
The Lions have scored the most points in the NFL this season. Even though they continue to be a run-heavy team behind David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, they have also scored more passing touchdowns than any team in the league, and rank fourth in net yards gained per pass attempt. Raymond plays a big part in keeping this offense humming and also getting them into good field positions. Every edge will matter going up against Steve Spagnuolo's defense, and Raymond's return will provide some extra edge for OC John Morton and Campbell.