Pro Bowl guard Jonah Jackson is hopeful he can return to the field before Detroit’s Week 6 bye as he continues to rehab a finger injury.
I asked Jackson at his locker Wednesday why it’s so difficult to try and play through a finger injury.
“As an offensive lineman playing the position I am, this (left hand) is my knife and this (right hand) is my gun hand,” Jackson explained. “This (right hand with injury) is the power hand. Gripping. This is how you settle in and kind of just shut down the rush. Without this being able to grip him (I’m not as effective).”
The one positive coming out of the Jackson injury is the Lions now know they have terrific depth at guard with Evan Brown and Dan Skipper being able to step in and keep the offensive line rolling. But the Lions can’t wait to get their Pro Bowler back, and it sounds like that may be sooner rather than later.
With St. Brown, Chark and Reynolds all dealing with injuries, there’s a chance Kalif Raymond and Quintez Cephus could see an increased workload.
Cephus has played just 18 snaps on offense in three games, but was trending upwards and showing he could be a playmaker early last year before a collar bone injury ended his season Week 5. If needed, the Lions expect him to step in and not miss a beat.
“That’s why we keep the guys we keep,” Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El said Wednesday. “Knowing they can go out and produce if we need them to. Remember Q last year, he started coming on before he got hurt. It was early, but he was coming along. He’ll pick up right where he left off if we need him to be out there.”
He caught 15 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns in four and a half games last season before the injury.
Cephus said Wednesday he’ll be ready to go and can’t wait to make plays if his name is called this week.
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