The Detroit Lions announced they have placed starting gunner/corner Tony McRae on injured reserve and activated linebacker Jarrad Davis from the reserve/COVID-19 list.
McRae’s knee injury is significant enough that the Lions placed him on the long-term injured reserve, meaning he will not return this season. With him being on a one-year contract and the front office/coaching staff walking on thin ice, his future with the team is not clear at this time.
He does have a few things working in his favor that could lead to a second contract with the Lions. McRae found his way to Detroit, following special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs — who the Lions would be nuts to move on from — and the pair have solid chemistry.
While Coombs has rotated gunners this season, McRae has been the only constant, playing every gunner snap available ahead of his injury — 28 of his 121 special teams snaps.
On Sunday, McRae was replaced by Justin Coleman while Mike Ford was opposite him replacing Jamal Agnew. Between the three, two will likely emerge as gunners moving forward.
Davis will rejoin the Lions six days after it was announced he was being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, indicating like Matthew Stafford, he was likely in the high-risk close contact category, is symptom-free, and has passed the appropriate amount of tests with negative results.
