The Detroit Lions will likely be without one of their depth pieces in the secondary for the foreseeable future after some horrible luck led to an injury during a training camp practice session earlier this week.
With Khalil Dorsey still working his way back from the right tibia/fibula fracture he suffered against the Buffalo Bills in the closing weeks of the 2024 regular season and Terrion Arnold dealing with a hamstring injury, Detroit needs all the help it can get at the moment in the defensive backfield.
Unfortunately, it appears as though 2024 second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw Jr. will not be one of the players raising their game to help offset the lost production. Via Kory Woods of MLive.com, Rakestraw Jr. underwent surgery on Thursday morning to repair a shoulder injury he suffered during a tackling drill at practice earlier this week.
It appears that #Lions CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is heading to surgery. Here is a screen grab from his Instagram account. Several days ago, Terrion Arnold posted words of encouragement for Rakestraw to his IG. pic.twitter.com/PV9zOlVGSe
— Kory Woods (@KoryEWoods) August 7, 2025
Young Lions CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Having Surgery After Practice Mishap
Lions head coach Dan Campbell was clearly shaken up over the injury suffered by Rakestraw Jr., as he put his always tough demeanor aside to express genuine concern over what this meant for the young cornerback looking to take that next step in his second season as a pro.
"You hate it for the kid," Campbell said, via Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News. "You hate it. It's not his fault, just one of those tough deals."
Rakestraw Jr. was injured during his first rep in one-on-one tackling drills as he came down hard enough on his shoulder while attempting to tackle third-year wide receiver Tom Kennedy that he did what appears to be some serious damage to that area. The cornerback was assisted immediately by Detroit's medical staff but did not return to the practice field.
Now, we know that the injury was serious enough to require surgery. Campbell will soon share the specifics of the severity of Rakestraw Jr.'s injury now that fans in the Motor City are aware the former Missouri Tigers standout is undergoing a procedure.
After appearing in just eight games and recording six total tackles during his rookie season, this is not the start to the 2025 campaign that Rakestraw Jr. or anyone on the Lions' coaching staff had hoped for. Injuries are part of the game, though. What the cornerback does from this point forward will define his tenure in Detroit.