Ifeatu Melifonwu has yet to play this season and his 2024 debut will be delayed for a notable stretch. The fourth-year safety was placed on injured reserve Saturday, per a team announcement.
Melifonwu suffered an ankle injury in practice earlier this month. It kept him sidelined through the first three weeks of the campaign and Saturday’s move confirms a lengthy recovery period is still needed. The 2021 third-rounder will miss at least the next four games as a result of the IR move.
Drafted as a corner, Melifonwu primarily played on the boundary during his rookie campaign. He logged a 53% snap share that year, although he was limited to only seven games. The 25-year-old transitioned to safety the following campaign, but he also played sparingly at cornerback. The 2022 season was also shortened by injury, as Melifonwu suited up for just 10 contests.
Things took a positive turn on the health front last year, with the Syracuse product managing to remain healthy for a full season. Melifonwu played all 20 of the Lions’ regular-season and postseason games, combining to make nine starts across that span. He collected the first two interceptions of his career and posted three sacks during the year; Melifonwu added a pair of sacks in the playoffs. That production has been missed in the secondary this season, and his absence will continue to be be acutely felt for the foreseeable future.
Detroit has Kerby Joseph in place as a full-time safety starter with Brian Branch available as a versatile contributor on the backend. With Melifonwu still on the mend, Brandon Joseph is in place to continue in a backup/special teams role. The Lions’ defense has performed well in a number of categories this year, but the unit — one which was the focus of several cornerback moves during the offseason — currently ranks just 19th against the pass. Melifonwu returning to health could help in that regard, but it remains to be seen when that will be the case.
As a pending free agent, Melifonwu’s latest injury issue has come at a particularly problematic time. His value is in danger of taking a hit as he continues to miss considerable time, something confirmed by Saturday’s transaction.
