Detroit Lions DE sidelined at least 5-6 months due to MCL injury.

The Detroit Lions will have to work double to plug the holes on their defensive rotation left by the absence of their veteran defensive end John Cominsky. The seasoned DE will be out indefinitely due to an MCL injury, according to Ian Rapaport and Mike Garofolo.

Still, the team’s belief is that Cominsky will be able to return to the field within five to six months, giving him a chance to compete in the playoffs. For now, his focus is on getting surgery and rehab.

John Cominsky’s Lions injury

According to reports shared on X (formerly Twitter), Cominsky sustained his injury while doing a team drill during morning practice.

During the drill, Cominsky got rolled up on, which injured his MCL and required the Lions training staff to cart him off the practice field. Initial tests diagnosed the injury as a torn MCL, which means the veteran defender will be out of action indefinitely.

However, subsequent reports indicated that he might have a chance to play in the postseason, if the Lions manage to advance to that stage. His return also depends on the success of his MCL surgery and the progress of his rehab and recovery.

With Cominsky out of action, the Lions will have to demand more from their defensive rotation. They will need to ask Josh Pascal, Marcus Davenport, and Mathieu Betts to step up defensively. Likewise, their defensive staff will have to squeeze some juice out of their defensive tackles Mekhi Wingo and Levi Onwuzurike.

John Cominsky’s injury sidelines an integral part of the Lions defense for the past two seasons. In those two years, he has played 30 games for Detroit, tallying 66 tackles and six sacks.

After starting his first three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Cominsky was waived in the offseason prior to the 2022 campaign. He was signed to Detroit on a one-year deal and immediately became one of the team’s key players on the defensive end rotation.

He also re-signed with the team for two more years before the 2023 NFL season. In 2024, Cominsky started in 14 games out of 19 for the Lions, including three playoff games. Additionally, the Lions defensive end notched 43 tackles and two sacks in these appearances.

To add more to the Lions’ problems, their offensive line went down one member on Tuesday. Their guard, Netane Muti, suffered a shoulder injury during a team workout.