Expecting to be without the services of injured cornerback Drayton Florence for a significant amount of time, the Detroit Lions officially placed their ailing defensive back on the injured reserve list with a designation to return on Wednesday according to the Lions' Tim Twentyman.
Florence broke his forearm in the third quarter of Detroit's loss to San Francisco on Sunday Night Football, but reportedly did not tell coaches and opted to finish out the remainder of the game despite the injury. By placing him on the NFL's new short-term injured reserve list however, the Lions will be allowed to let him practice in six weeks and actually return to the field in eight weeks if he's healthy enough to play.
The Lions used Florence's open roster spot to get formerly-suspended tailback Mikel Leshoure back on the roster heading into Sunday's must-win game with Tennessee. Leshoure is expected to factor into the mix for carries right away, and the coaching staff should be eager to see what the second-year runner is capable of in his first career NFL game.
Be sure to stay with this StoryStream for more updates on Florence's condition, and head over to Pride of Detroit for full Lions coverage. Also check out SB Nation's NFL hub for more news and analysis from around the league.