[NFL] Lions Place Three Soldiers on IR, Branch and Mays Eyeing Return

[Mickey the Mouth]

Photo: Quintin Soloviev via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0​

The family in Detroit just took a hit to the roster during the bye. The Lions placed three made men on injured reserve: offensive lineman Ben Bartch, wide receiver Tom Kennedy, and linebacker Devin White. All three gotta sit minimum four games before they can rejoin the action.

Bartch was already shelved in Week 5 nursing a foot problem. White went down in that same game with a broken forearm. Kennedy's situation is the ugliest of the bunch—he's looking at season-ending surgery for a banged-up MCL.

The books now show three open spots on the active roster. Word on the street says safety Brian Branch and center Cade Mays got that designated-for-return tag, so they're the leading candidates to fill two of those vacancies. The front office's got some capers to pull getting bodies ready for the next tilt.

Mickey's Angle: Kennedy's loss stings the depth chart hardest; keep eyes on who Detroit brings in for receiver insurance and whether Branch's return steadies the secondary.

Source: ProFootballTalk - original report rewritten by Mickey the Mouth.