Where the Lions stand on returns from Injured Reserve and if they’ll run into NFL roster rules issues before the playoffs

The Lions are in a good spot with this right now

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Zach Tom (50) blocks Detroit Lions defensive tackle Marcus Davenport (92) during the first quarter of their game Sunday, September 7, 2025 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Anyone else tired of talking about the Detroit Lions’ loss to the Eagles as well? Cool. Get in here and let’s talk about some NFL roster rules and where the Lions sit on returns from injured reserve. Let’s start with the fact that each team gets eight returns from IR a season. Then, if that team makes the playoffs, they get an additional two returns.

So far, the Lions have used just one of their returns, and that was recently when they brought back safety Daniel Thomas. These return spots are only used for players coming off the IR. So Alim McNeill (PUP), Josh Paschal (NFI), Miles Fraizer (PUP), Malcolm Rodriguez (PUP), and Ahmed Hassanein (signed from free agency) do not count.

The Lions have seven return from IR spots left, and a lot of them are about to be used

Let’s take a look at what you can soon expect. D.J. Reed and Marcus Davenport recently returned to practice. So there are two spots. Now the Lions are down to five. Christian Mahogany and Sam LaPorta’s returns are up in the air right now, but if and when they come back, there are two more spots, and that puts the Lions at three spots left. After that, it’s a maybe on Zach Cunningham, Giovanni Manu, and Khalil Dorsey.

So the Lions are sitting in a good spot right now with seven games left in the season. From here, they just have to remain in good health and maybe do things a little differently, like they are with Kerby Joseph. He hasn’t played since the Bengals game, and the Lions have not put him on the IR yet.

If there’s another strong positive to take away from this game, it’s that the Lions are getting healthy at the perfect time. Look at all these guys who are going to be back for the run in December. Good stuff for Detroit.

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