Bill Bentley's concussion adds to Lions depleted secondary

ALLEN PARK, Mich. - An already depleted Lions secondary took another hit Sunday.

Cornerback Bill Bentley missed most of the second half in the team's game against St. Louis after suffering a concussion.

“He was evaluated with a concussion and wasn’t allowed to return,’’ head coach Jim Schwartz said.

“He had come back the first time where he had been tested. He was getting ready to be cleared and we tested him again.’’

Bentley returned to the sideline without a helmet. League rules mandate a player must be removed from a game once he is diagnosed with a concussion.

The Lions secondary was already without starting cornerback Chris Houston and starting safety Louis Delmas Sunday. Both players missed every practice last week.

Bentley started the game opposite newly acquired cornerback Drayton Florence. Schwartz said he wasn't sure of the rookie's status.

"I don't know that he was ever officially diagnosed, but we err on the side of caution when it comes to it. He wasn't unconscious or anything like that where it would have been for sure. But, again, if a guy's having any symptoms then we're not going to let him in the game, and that's what happened with Bill."

Bentley and the Lions travel to San Francisco this Sunday for an 8:30pm kickoff against the 49ers.