Veteran Defender Finally Returning to Lions Practice Ahead of Playoffs

The Lions finally received a positive bit of injury news after several players went down in recent weeks, as OLB Jalen Reeves-Maybin returned to practice on Thursday.

Reeves-Maybin has been out since early November. While he's more of a depth piece than an actual starter, Detroit needs as many defenders as possible for the playoff run. Following the news that David Montgomery could return for the postseason, the Lions' bad string of injury luck seems to be turning around.

With three games left in the regular season, Reeves-Maybin will have a 21-day window to practice before he must be added to the active roster.

Lions LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin Returns to Practice

There is certainly a value to having Reeves-Maybin on the defense, but his largest value comes on special teams. He was a Second-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler last season, notching 20 tackles while playing all 17 games.

Only on a one-year deal, Reeves-Maybin hopes to earn another contract. He's only 29 years old and has clear value, so it's good to see him back on the field for the stretch run. For the Lions, he provides insurance for the linebacking group as the defense seems to get thinner every week.

Originally a fourth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, he's carved out a nice career and should have plenty left in the tank. Now that Detroit has established a winning culture, players who contribute so much on special teams belong.

The Lions lost 48-42 to the Bills last week in a game that exposed the defense, though Detroit is still fully in control of their dreams. They'll close the season with the Bears, 49ers, and Vikings. If they win all three, they'll secure the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye no matter what.

Should they lose, their seeding depends on how the Eagles do. Since the defense struggled to much in Week 15, getting Reeves-Maybin back will provide a boost down the stretch even if he doesn't play for another week or two.

There was once concern that he'd miss the rest of the year and rob the Lions of valuable depth. Luckily, that's not the case and Reeves-Maybin appears to be alright.

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