Lions activate Austin Bryant and more injury updates

Allen Park — The Detroit Lions activated linebacker Austin Bryant off the physically unable to perform list Tuesday morning. 

The third-year player has struggled with durability issues since being drafted by the Lions in the fourth round out of Clemson in 2019. He was limited to four games as a rookie due to hip and pectoral injuries. 

And like this season, Bryant started the 2020 season on the physically unable to perform list, sidelining him the first seven games of the campaign. He ended up missing two more with a thigh injury shortly after returning to action. 

In total, he's appeared in 10 games across two seasons, playing 345 defensive snaps. He's tallied 25 tackles during that stretch and is still looking for his first sack. 

It remains unknown what Bryant has been dealing with this year, but Lions coach Dan Campbell said they'll be smart easing the linebacker back into action, limiting him to individual drills during Tuesday's practice. 

“It's tough," Campbell said. "Coming from somebody like me who's had 13 surgeries when I played, I know what enters the brain. It's hard to tell yourself you're OK because when it happens so much, and the only way to truly feel like you're ready is you’ve got to go through some stuff. You have to do football-type drills. You have to be able to go against the sled and kind of a guy over you."

In addition to Bryant, cornerback Quinton Dunbar continues to miss practice while dealing with a personal issue, according to Campbell. The coach also said rookie linebacker Derrick Barnes has been limited by a mild hamstring strain that first cropped up in the early portions of the offseason program. 

Following Bryant's activation off PUP, and rookie Evan Heim coming off the reserve/COVID list a day earlier, only center Evan Brown and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin remain out with a designation.

Brown is on the non-football injury list, but is making progress toward a return. On Monday, he could be seen working with a team trainer on the sidelines. Reeves-Maybin is still on the reserve/COVID list.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @Justin_Rogers