National Football League

How much more can Megatron's body take?

Published Oct. 8, 2014 4:07 p.m. ET

foxsports

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- As the injuries mount and then linger, the question becomes more legitimate:

How much longer will Calvin Johnson's body allow him to be "Megatron," the freakish, out-of-this-world receiver for the Detroit Lions?

"Any time you have any injury, that limits whoever you are," Johnson said Wednesday morning before missing the Lions' practice with an ankle injury.

The Lions are seriously considering resting Johnson for Sunday's game at Minnesota. He certainly hasn't been himself lately, catching only three passes for 19 yards the last two games.

Johnson was knocked out of Sunday's loss to Buffalo early in the second half, when he re-aggravated his injured right ankle on a hit to the side of his leg by Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin. It came on Johnson's only reception of the day.

Asked whether he thinks opponents try to target his injuries, Johnson answered, "I wouldn't doubt it. Guys try to take you out of the game if they know they can."

As for whether McKelvin did, Johnson added, "Who knows?"

Johnson is suffering from one of those slow-to-heal high-ankle sprains. It's a common injury that's will heal at some point.

Nevertheless, Johnson, 29, is in his eighth NFL season. He was hampered much of last year by knee and finger injuries.

Maybe this is just a bad run of luck for the league's premiere receiver, but it also could be a sign that Johnson's body in general is indeed wearing down from all the cuts up field and all the collisions over the years.

It happens.

Johnson, not surprisingly, wants nothing to do with such a suggestion.

"It's not an issue for me going forward in the future," he said.

Maybe so, but the idea can't dismissed.

It's quite possible we've seen the best of Megatron, at least in terms of the sustained, weekly excellence that's been his trademark.

Two years ago, he broke the NFL record with 1,964 receiving yards on 122 receptions. Since then, he's had to fight through injury after injury.

Johnson was asked if it's reached the point where it just makes more sense to miss a game or two to try to heal.

"I'm not going to say that," he responded.

Johnson said he's "doing everything in my power" to rehabilitate the ankle and get ready for the Vikings this week.

However, he later added, "You want to be smart. You don't want to put yourself in a position where you can't be there for the team when it comes down to the end (of the season). That's what we're trying to be smart about."

Johnson has an uncanny work ethic and is a true champion at heart, regardless of how many games his team has won during his career. He could push all of these concerns aside and continue on to a Hall of Fame career.

But these injuries the last couple years really do make you wonder.

EXTRA POINT

Running back Reggie Bush also missed Wednesday's practice because of an ankle injury, but the two backups â Joique Bell (concussion) and Theo Riddick (hamstring) â were back on the field after missing Sunday's game.