The Detroit Lions waited three weeks to get veteran linebacker Zach Cunningham back after a serious injury, but now he will be sidelined for at least a month—and potentially the entire season.
The team placed Cunningham on injured reserve following a hamstring injury he suffered in last week’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cunningham had just returned from a three-week absence due to another hamstring injury, making this latest setback a significant blow to his season and the team.
### Lions Lose Key Depth
Cunningham was ruled out to return last weekend during the Lions’ 24-9 victory over the conference-leading Buccaneers due to the hamstring injury. As Jeff Risdon of USA Today’s Lions Wire noted, this loss removes a key special teams player and situational defender from the roster.
“There is no indication if Cunningham, who plays primarily on special teams but has also worked in short-yardage and red zone packages throughout the season, will be able to return in 2024,” Risdon wrote. “The Lions facility is closed and staff are off until next week. For the year, the 30-year-old has seven tackles and one tackle for loss (TFL).”
Cunningham joined the Lions as a free agent this offseason, adding veteran experience to the linebacking corps. The 30-year-old has appeared in 106 NFL games with 86 starts, accumulating 716 total tackles over his career. This season, he has played a limited role in Detroit, featuring in four games with seven total tackles.
### Backups Come Through in the Secondary
The Lions have already faced numerous challenges on defense, particularly in the secondary. Several cornerbacks have been sidelined due to injury, and safety Brian Branch served a one-game suspension after sparking a skirmish during the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Despite these setbacks, the Lions employed what head coach Dan Campbell referred to as their “Who?” secondary against the Buccaneers. Remarkably, they held Tampa Bay’s potent offense to just nine points, showcasing the resilience and depth of the team’s backup players.
As the season progresses, the Lions will need continued contributions from their depth players to navigate these injury hurdles and maintain competitive performances on defense.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/detroit-lions/lions-zach-cunningham-injured-reserve/
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