Eric Ebron Injury: Updates on Lions TE's Knee and Return

Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron missed the team's last two games after suffering a knee injury in Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Continue for updates.

---

Ebron Active for Week 7

Sunday, Oct. 25

According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Ebron will be active for the team's matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

---

Lombardi, Ebron Comment on Severity of Injury

Thursday, Oct. 8

"We're hoping it's not a real serious or long-term injury," offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said, via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com.

On Oct. 7, Ebron told ESPN's Josina Anderson that part of his injury is a "bruised knee." He was told it could take three weeks to heal but that he should go off individual feeling.

Overall, though, Ebron told Anderson he was just happy to hear he didn't need surgery on his knee, adding, "That's all I really heard."

---

Injury Slows Down Ebron's Development

The Lions were already without Brandon Pettigrew (hamstring) at the position, and Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus pointed out Tim Wright replaced the injured Ebron in the lineup.

Expectations were high for Ebron entering his rookie campaign as the No. 10 overall selection in the 2014 NFL draft, but he struggled to stay healthy and wasn't impactful when he was on the field last year.

The 22-year-old standout missed three games because of a hamstring ailment, which is something that dogged him during his college days at North Carolina as well.

Even when Ebron played, the athletic tight end wasn't as big a contributor as many had hoped. He reeled in just 25 passes for 248 yards and one touchdown as wide receivers Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate took center stage in the passing game.

Despite Ebron's rookie struggles, quarterback Matthew Stafford entered the 2015 season with high expectations for the supremely athletic and talented offensive weapon, per Mike O'Hara of DetroitLions.com:

"

He's an explosive guy. For a guy his size, I would say that he's extremely athletic. He wants to be good. He practices extremely hard and is willing to stay after and talk to me anytime that he can to try to get tips. 

That's all you can hope for. You go from there and see what happens on game days. He can run. You can see what he can do when he gets the ball in his hands. The big thing that he's been working for, and I think he's heading in the right direction, he's got to get more consistent. That's the key and I think that's coming.

"

Like Stafford, Lions general manager Martin Mayhew believed Ebron had made strides ahead of his second year in the NFL, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com:

Ebron is a young and inexperienced player, so it is too early to view him as a disappointment in terms of either on-field play or durability.

With that said, there is no question his first two seasons haven't gone smoothly. If Ebron can persevere now that he's back on the field, he will be a better player for it moving forward.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.