Lions RB Johnson nursing sprained knee

Detroit Lions rookie running back Kerryon Johnson’s knee injury is considered by the team to be just a sprain as opposed to a torn ACL, according to a report.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported the news on Johnson, who will undergo an MRI on his knee on Monday. The 21-year-old Johnson rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown before exiting in the second half of Sunday’s 20-19 win over the Carolina Panthers.

Detroit coach Matt Patricia refused to speculate on the severity of the injury after Sunday’s game.

“Football, that’s part of the sport. You know, this happens every single week and throughout for every team that played,” Patricia said. “So we wait until we know concrete evidence or circumstances or situations or whatever it is.

“Some guys, immediately after a game, you never really know because, you know, emotions and adrenaline and the body is revving at a high level so you really got to just, obviously for something that’s a really serious injury make sure they are OK but other than that you’ve kind of got to kind of wait, which is hard, but we got to wait and let all the doctors and appropriate people that understand that stuff better than I do give me the information at that point.”

Johnson has recorded 118 carries for a team-leading 641 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games since being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The 5-foot-11, 206-pound Johnson also has 32 receptions for 213 yards and one score.

Short-yardage back LeGarrette Blount and Theo Riddick are expected to pick up the slack should Johnson be sidelined for the Lions (4-6), who host the Chicago Bears (7-3) on Thanksgiving (12:30 p.m. ET).

Detroit sent the 51st overall pick and a fourth-round selection (No. 117) to the New England Patriots in exchange for the rights to snare Johnson, the SEC Offensive Player of the Year last season.

Johnson rushed for 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2017 for Auburn, including 11 scores in a three-game span.