The Detroit Lions have lost defensive tackle Haloti Ngata to an elbow injury.
The team announced Wednesday they've placed Ngata on injured reserve. The 33-year-old will miss at least eight weeks.
Losing Ngata is a big blow to an overachieving Lions defensive front. The earth-moving veteran had a good start to his season pushing the pocket as a pass rusher. Ngata has earned two sacks in five weeks after earning just four total sacks in 17 games the previous two seasons in Detroit.
The elbow issue is just the latest injury Ngata has dealt with since moving to Detroit in 2015. After 12 seasons, it's fair to wonder if the elbow injury could spell the end of Ngata's career. A free agent after this season, Ngata began his career with nine seasons in Baltimore, where he was one of the most dominant, memorable two-gap interior defenders in the NFL.
To help replace Ngata, the Lions signed defensive end Datone Jones and defensive tackle Caraun Reid. Detroit also waived linebacker Thurston Armbrister.
