Emmanuel Moseley and Christian Mahogany will start the 2024 season on the injured list, with the option to return later.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, two Detroit Lions players will begin the season on the injured list, which means they will not be on the original 53-man roster.
Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley will be placed on injured reserve (but is allowed to return), while rookie guard Christian Mahogany will be placed on the reserve/non-football sickness list. Both players will miss a minimum of four games to begin the season.
Moseley tore his pectoral muscle in Week 1 of the preseason during a joint practice with the New York Giants. Moseley was dealt a heavy blow, having missed all but two snaps of the 2023 season due to a second ruptured ACL. He was in line to push for a starting spot as the Lions’ nickel cornerback. In his absence, Amik Robertson has taken over the starting nickel position.
This year, a new regulation permits teams to place two players on injured reserve on the day of the cutdown deadline while keeping them eligible to return later in the season. According to Lions coach Dan Campbell, Moseley and defensive end John Cominsky were early candidates for the two positions. Prior to this new regulation, a player needed to be on the 53-man roster before being eligible to return from IR.
Mahogany skipped the entire training camp due to an unexplained sickness. He recently returned to the team facility, but Campbell acknowledged that he still had a long way to go in terms of physical preparation for the season.
“We’re going to get him going, start working him, getting his body right, getting back there with (director of sports performance) Mike Clark and (director of player health & performance Brett Fischer) Fisch and those guys, and just start getting him back in shape,” said Campbell. “He will be in meetings. And then, once we believe he’s in a good physical state, we’ll probably see where things stand.”
Mahogany won’t be able to practice until at least Week 5 of the season, the Lions’ bye week. At that point, the Lions might bring him back to practice and begin his 21-day review period. During any of those three weeks, the Lions could promote him to the 53-man roster and play him. However, if they decide after three weeks that he isn’t ready for the roster, he will have to miss the entire season.