The Detroit Lions announced on Wednesday morning that third-round rookie cornerback Ifeatu Melifonwu will return to practice this week, along with cornerback/returner Corey Ballentine.
Melifonwu suffered a thigh injury in the Lions’ Week 2 contest against the Green Bay Packers and was placed on injured reserve. Combined with Jeff Okudah’s Week 1 Achilles tear, the Lions were left shorthanded at the cornerback position and have been scrambling to find replacements since then. Though undrafted rookie Jerry Jacobs and AJ Parker have performed admirably in their place, getting Melifonwu back would not only help the Lions this year but getting the rookie some playing time down the stretch will help his development.