Lions open return window for Ifeatu Melifonwu and Emmanuel Moseley

The Detroit Lions returned to the practice field Wednesday as they begin preparation for Week 10 against the Houston Texans. Head coach Dan Campbell said the team is opening the 21-day practice windows for cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and safety Ifeatu Melifonwu.

Both players are on injured reserve but are eligible to practice immediately. The Lions now have three weeks to decide if they want to put them on the 53-man roster or shut them down for the rest of the season.

Lions start return clock on Emmanuel Moseley and Ifeatu Melifonwu

Moseley suffered a torn pectoral in early August during joint practices against the New York Giants, and he was naturally out indefinitely. A couple weeks ago Campbell said he expected Moseley to play this season, but that did not seem likely to be so soon before Wednesday's news. Now Moseley will be activated before the Thanksgiving Day game against the Chicago Bears, or he won't play this season.

The Lions signed Moseley in 2023 when he was coming off a torn ACL the previous season. He tore his other ACL two snaps into his Lions' debut last season, and they re-signed him in March.

Melifonwu suffered an ankle injury in August. Campbell was vague about the severity of it at the time, though there was one report calling it an Achilles' issue.

Melifonwu was not put on IR going into the season, but Campbell more or less acknowledged he should have been as four missed games to start the season became inevitable. There's optimism an injury will heal, then there's not acknowledging reality.

Melifonwu had a breakout stretch as a key playmaker for the Lions' defense late last season. But injuries have marked his NFL career.

Melifonwu was eventually put on IR in Week 4, and he has missed the minimum of four games. He also will have to be activated by before the Thanksgiving game.

Campbell had some other injury updates on Wednesday. Linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (shoulder) did not do much during Wednesday’s walkthrough practice, Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle) will be evaluated later in the week and defensive end Josh Paschal (illness) is expected to return this week.