[REVISION HISTORY]

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. preseason updates

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-16 07:00 UTC → 2026-08-21 16:49 UTC · added ~~removed~~

During the Detroit Lions’ preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. sustained an arm injury while attempting a tackle. Although there was initial concern due to his previous injury history, head coach Dan Campbell described the incident as an arm contusion causing numbness rather than a major injury. Rakestraw also indicated the injury was not serious. Following the game, Rakestraw disputed a performance grade of 29.3 issued by Pro Football Focus (PFF), which ranked him at the bottom of the Lions' roster for the game. Rakestraw argued that the evaluation lacked context regarding defensive schemes, noting that much of his play involved zone coverage rather than man-to-man. He stated, “They don’t know what they’re talking about anyway. They couldn’t even tell me what coverage we were in,” suggesting analysts lacked access to specific tactical instructions. ~~While acknowledging~~ More recently, Rakestraw sustained a ~~need for personal improvement, he maintained that~~ non-contact ankle injury during a Thursday training camp practice while attempting to change direction. According to FOX 2’s Dan Miller, the ~~distinction between individual man coverage and complex zone responsibilities~~ injury is ~~essential~~ “not considered serious,” as Rakestraw was able to walk off the field under his own power. His availability for ~~an accurate assessment.~~ the upcoming preseason game against the Washington Commanders remains undetermined. This latest incident adds to a history of injury challenges for the cornerback, including previous hamstring and shoulder issues.

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