The Detroit Lions have grown dangerously thin at wide receiver.
Coach Jim Schwartz told reporters Monday that rookie Ryan Broyles will miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Broyles suffered the injury during the first quarter of Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Broyles tore the ACL in his left knee at Oklahoma last season. Not the same joints, but it's still a major concern for a developing NFL pass-catcher, even though Lions coach Jim Schwartz believes Broyles will recover.
"It's something he's gone through already," Schwartz said, via The Associated Press. "Ryan's a real hard-working player. He did a great job with his rehab last time. It'll be a bump in the road for him, but it won't be something that he can't overcome."
Schwartz also confirmed that Titus Young is out of the picture indefinitely. The embattled receiver was sent home again after his second chance inside the building last week didn't change minds around the organization about his selfish and streaky behavior.
"I certainly believe in second chances. ... But you need to make the most of the opportunities you have," Schwartz said, via The AP. "When you have an issue or you have something that occurs and you do get a second chance and you're welcomed back, you have to do everything to take advantage of that opportunity. I think in this case, that didn't happen."
On NFL Network
NFL Replay will re-air the
Indianapolis Colts' 35-33 win over the DetroitÂ
Lions in Week 13 on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Young was deactivated Sunday against the Colts, and we don't expect him to play again this season. That leaves Mike Thomas as Detroit's No. 2 receiver across from Calvin Johnson.
Matthew Stafford went into Week 13 as the NFL's leader in passing yards, but the quarterback will be challenged to spread the ball around on a depleted offense. Chalk it up as more bad news for a 4-8 Lions team that never got off the ground in 2012.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
