Allen Park – Earlier this week, the Detroit Lions lost a key contributor to injury. Now, the team is on the cusp of getting one back.

Two days after placing wide receiver Marvin Jones on injured reserve with a knee injury, the Lions announced cornerback and return man Jamal Agnew is returning to practice.

Agnew remains ineligible to play in a game until Detroit’s Week 15 trip to Buffalo.

A first-team All-Pro punt returner as a rookie in 2017, Agnew has been on injured reserve since mid-October with a knee injury of his own. He suffered the injury defending a long pass in the end zone against the Green Bay Packers.

In his second season, Agnew had a much larger role on defense. He was averaging 26.5 defensive snaps in the four games prior to the injury. He also maintained his return game role, averaging 27.8 yards on kickoffs and 5.6 yards on punts.

With Agnew out, the Lions have shuffled through a number of combinations in the secondary. Nevin Lawson has primarily handled the nickel snaps that would have went to Agnew, while DeShawn Shead, Teez Tabor and Mike Ford have rotated in at Lawson’s outside spot when he’s slid inside.

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