Emmanuel Moseley is back in the building. When he'll be back on the field remains to be seen.
The veteran corner who signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Lions coming off a torn ACL has arrived at training camp after reportedly undergoing a second surgery, but remains on the physically unable to perform list -- and isn't sure when he'll come off it.
"I don't know exactly when I'll be out there, but I feel pretty good," Moseley said Saturday. "I trust the trainers, trust the process, and trust everyone in the building that when the time is right, I'll be out there."
Moseley, 27, was one of three proven defensive backs the Lions signed this offseason to overhaul a broken secondary. He joins Cam Sutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, along with second-round pick Brian Branch, as newcomers on a defense that allowed the second most yards per pass and most yards per completion last season.
After four strong seasons with the 49ers, the last one clipped short after just five games due to the ACL, Moseley was brought to Detroit to start on the outside opposite Sutton. But with each practice he misses, it's less likely that he'll be ready for the season opener in Kansas City Sept. 7 -- just a month from Monday. Jerry Jacobs has taken most of the reps opposite Sutton in the meantime.
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Asked if a Week 1 return is still within his reach, Moseley said, "Like I say, I'm not going to throw no numbers out there, or timeline. But when you see me out there, just know I'll be very excited."
Moseley declined to go into details about his injury and apparent setback. But he didn't deny having had a second procedure, saying, "I was feeling pretty good. Things happen." He added that this "probably the best that I've felt" since the original injury last October.
While Moseley watched practice from the sidelines Saturday, his left leg in a compression sleeve, the Lions' secondary made all kinds of plays. He said he was anything but surprised. A key member of some of the best defenses in the NFL the past several years in San Fran, Moseley has a chance to keep the pattern going in Detroit.
"I get excited, man. I get excited, know what I mean? I want to be out there," he said. "But so happy for my brothers. Definitely a team player. I want to see my brothers win and succeed."
Moseley held quarterbacks to a passer rating of 66.01 in his final two seasons with the 49ers and had 25 passes defended in his final 28 games. Between the additions to the Lions' secondary and returners like Kerby Joseph, Tracy Walker and Jerry Jacobs, the defensive backs room is suddenly one of the deepest and most talented on the roster.
"There's great talent," said Moseley. "We got a lot of playmakers back there, a lot of confident guys. I think this could be a really good run."
But first, Moseley needs to run back on the field.
"I can't wait," he said.
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