ALLEN PARK -- The previous coaching staff believed in Chris Greenwood.

They took a chance on the little-known cornerback from Albion. They kept him around even when injuries prevented him from seeing the field. And now they are gone.

That means Greenwood has to prove himself all over again to a new set of coaches. Yet again he finds himself limited by injury.

He has sat out most of this offseason after undergoing surgery for another hernia. He originally suffered the injury as a rookie in 2012, then aggravated it sometime in the last two games of last season.

"(It was a) freak accident," Greenwood told MLive this week. "I'm not even sure about any specific play. I just felt it and turned out to be the same thing.

"Can't really control it. All I can control is me working as hard as I can to get back in and get healthy."

Greenwood sat out voluntary minicamp and the first two rounds of OTAs before finally debuting this week during the final batch of OTAs. He was limited to mostly individual drills, but it's a sign he should be available for the start of training camp.

"It felt good to get back out there. I didn't do too much -- still limited -- but working to get back and get a full-go," Greenwood said.

It's important for Greenwood to get healthy so that he can make a full bid for a roster spot. The Lions return top corners Chris Houston, Rashean Mathis, Darius Slay and Bill Bentley, and have added fourth-round draft pick Nevin Lawson.

That leaves Greenwood battling with Jonte Green and free-agent acquisition Cassius Vaughn for probably one roster spot. What does he have to do to earn that job?

"I just feel like it's going to be the same as everyone else. Just a matter of how fast I can get back and go show the new staff what I can do," he said.

Greenwood hails from Division III Albion, but his 6-foot-1 frame and 4.34 speed -- faster than any corner at this year's combine -- enticed the Lions to select him as a developmental player in the fifth round of the 2012 draft.

But an assortment of injuries have prevented him from developing into a regular player. He's appeared in just three career games, and just two on defense.

Those came at the end of last season, when Greenwood showed some signs of progress. He was particularly impressive against Eli Manning and the New York Giants.

And now he's back on the mend.