After exiting early in the second quarter of the Detroit Lions' preseason opener at the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit had an encouraging postgame injury update on third-year cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Rakestraw, who was injured tackling Bengals running back Tahj Brooks, did not return to the game, but Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters afterwards that it was "not major." The Lions believe Rakestraw suffered an upper body contusion. Richard Silva of The Detroit News reported that Rakestraw wasn't wearing a brace or sling on his arm. Rakestraw said X-rays showed everything is fine structurally. "Nah, not at all. I'll be back," Rakestraw told reporters when asked if it was something long-term.
Rakestraw was in the locker room after the game, wasn't wearing a brace or sling or anything like that on his arm. He said X-rays showed everything is fine structurally. Nothing long term? "Nah, not at all. I'll be back." https://t.co/V1gYTIEOir — Richard Silva (@rich_silva18) August 14, 2026 Rakestraw has been battling the injury bug throughout the first two seasons of his career. A hamstring injury limited Rakestraw to just eight games played during his rookie campaign in 2024. Then, Rakestraw suffered a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery during last year's training camp. In his career, Rakestraw has logged just 46 defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus. A 5-foot-11, 192-pound corner out of Missouri, Rakestraw has an opportunity in a secondary that is hoping new stars can emerge at cornerback. A second-round NFL draft pick in 2024, Rakestraw has totaled six tackles in his career thus far. For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions share encouraging injury update on CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr.