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As the Detroit Lions start their preparation for the high-flying offense of the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Matt Patricia announced Monday morning they’ll have to face them without one of their better offensive weapons. According to Patricia, wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. will be placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
“We worked through the course of action to see if he could be back before the end of the season but just have determined right now that IR is the proper course,” Patricia said.
He chose not to provide any sort of specifics on the injury “out of respect to Marvin and the injury process.”
Jones suffered an knee injury against the Chicago Bears a couple weeks ago. Though the team never confirmed it, reports were that Jones suffered a bone bruise and was just week-to-week. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport even suggested that Jones may be available to play against the Rams this week:
#Lions WR Marvin Jones, out last week and today with a bone bruise in his knee, has a chance to return and play in the #Rams game on Dec. 2, I’m told. Could be just a two-game absence.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 22, 2018
With Jones gone, and Golden Tate traded away a month ago, the Lions’ cupboard is fairly bare at receiver. Tate and Jones combined for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns this year. The rest of the Lions receivers have combined for 972 yards and five touchdowns. Kenny Golladay has been responsible for 804 of those yards and all five touchdowns.
Detroit will have to rely on the likes of Andy Jones, Bruce Ellington, TJ Jones, Brandon Powell and the aforementioned Golladay to make up the rest of the receiver squad.
In a corresponding move, the Lions are promoting linebacker Nicholas Grigsby from the practice squad. Grigsby was recently added by the Lions after playing nine games with the Patriots this year—mostly on special teams.