On Wednesday morning, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell verified what we didn’t expect. Both defensive end John Cominsky and experienced guard Netane Muti are dealing with long-term problems that will require surgery. “Both of them have injuries that are going to knock them out for a while and both will need surgeries,” Campbell informed us. “I dislike that for both players. Both of them were having enjoyable camps. Cominsky reportedly tore his MCL during Tuesday’s practice, while Muti suffered a shoulder injury immediately after. Reports hinted that Cominsky may return for a deep run in 2024, and Campbell basically confirmed that was the current plan for Cominsky.
“That was what we talked about. Yeah, we’re optimistic,” Campbell said. “And look, and if anybody can do it, anybody can come back and be ready to go late in the season, we know Cominsky will do everything he can to get back.”
Campbell didn’t say if the plan was similar for Muti, who was battling for a reserve guard spot. Detroit signed Muti early in the offseason to bring in a veteran with experience to a young offensive line room to compete with the likes of Kayode Awosika. Recently, the Lions signed six-year veteran Ike Boettger, who stepped in for Muti during Tuesday’s practice.
As for Cominsky, Campbell noted that while it’s a tough loss for a player who had been an integral part of their defense, he feels very confident in the depth players they have at the position, including Josh Paschal, Marcus Davenport, and Levi Onwuzurike.
“You never want to lose a player like that, but yeah, I do think we’re in position to certainly handle this,” Campbell said. “We feel pretty good about the guys that we have in there.”
