Tag: Detroit Lions injury update

Lions vs Colts: Wednesday injury report medical analysis

Lions vs Colts: Wednesday injury report medical analysis of the practice participation report for both teams

In their last game, the Lions lost Alex Anzalone for a few weeks due to a forearm fracture. Fortunately, the Wednesday report offers no other significant injuries coming out of the Jaguars game (see my postgame report for injury videos).

While the Colts injury report is short, they are hurting along the offensive line with two starters on IR, another starter who missed last game with a knee, and another starter with a new foot injury.

DETROIT LIONS

Estimated report since the team only had a walkthrough.

Sam LaPorta TE (shoulder – FP)

After missing one game with a left AC joint sprain, Dan Campbell stated on Wednesday that LaPorta is “questionable to above… it’s trending the right way”. While the FP is only an estimate, it strongly suggests LaPorta will be playing on Sunday.

Carlton Davis CB (thumb – FP)

Davis broke his left thumb last week in practice and played the entire first half vs the Jaguars in a thumb splint. He was pulled for the second half presumably as a precaution. The FP today confirms that there was no significant aggravation of the thumb and he’ll play vs the Colts.

Allen Robinson WR (Gameday Concussion Protocol Evaluation – FP)

Robinson hit his head late in the Jaguars game and was slow in getting up. The FP today would mean he was not diagnosed with a concussion and should be available on Sunday.

Shane Zylstra TE (neck – FP)

Zylstra left the Jaguars game late in the fourth quarter. The video did not show anything serious, but a neck listing is always concerning for a spinal issue. The FP today reassures that it’s not spinal and most likely just a soft tissue strain.

Emmanuel Moseley CB (pec – FP)

Moseley tore his pec in August and opened his 21-day practice window on November 6. Expect him to remain in the practice window through the weekend and moved to the active roster early next week before Thanksgiving.

NOTABLES

Ifeatu Melifonwu

Having yet to play this year, here is his timeline:
-August 17: Suspected Achilles tendonitis
-September 28: Placed on IR
-November 6: Practice window opened
-November 14: Finger injury showed up on injury report
-November 18: Activated off IR temporarily
-November 19: Back on IR presumably for the finger injury
-December 22: Eligible to return vs Bears

Brodric Martin

This second-year player suffered a right knee hyperextension on August 24 and has yet to play this year. As expected, he was activated to the roster on Tuesday from his IR practice window. That doesn’t mean he’s going to play this weekend though. It still depends on his overall physical/mental readiness and where the coaches view him on the depth chart.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Estimated report since the team only had a walkthrough.

Bernhard Raimann LT (knee – NP)

This starting LT missed last game with an unspecified knee injury. The NP on Wednesday does not bode well for the weekend.

Braden Smith RT (foot – LP)

This starting RT has played every game this year but the foot is a new listing. Let’s see if he downgrades or upgrades over the week.

Tyquan Lewis DE (elbow – FP)

Lewis has not played in the last seven games while on IR. He had his 21-day practice window opened just today which makes it very unlikely he’ll play vs the Lions.

Michael Pittman WR (back – FP)

Pittman has been dealing with a back issue for a few weeks. He still played in their last game and should play again on Sunday. He has 35 catches for 412 yards on the year.

NOTABLES

Ryan Kelly, starting center, is on IR and has missed the last two games.

Will Fries, starting OG, is on IR and has missed the last six games.

Lions injury update: All players active at Wednesday’s practice

Lions injury update: All players active at Wednesday’s practice ahead of the Week 12 matchup with the Colts

Something very unusual happened at the Detroit Lions practice facility in Allen Park on Wednesday.

Every single player on the active roster practiced. All 53 players, including freshly activated defensive tackle Brodric Martin, were designated as full participants in Wednesday’s session, which was a walkthrough instead of a full contact practice.

Five players did get injury designations along with their full practice notations:

CB Carlton Davis (thumb)
TE Sam LaPorta (shoulder)
CB Emmanuel Moseley (pectoral)
WR Allen Robinson (concussion protocol)
TE Shane Zylstra (neck)

LaPorta missed the Week 11 win over the Jaguars. Davis played the first half with his broken thumb. Robinson and Zylstra suffered their injuries during that Jacksonville game.

Moseley remains on injured reserve. He was designated to return at the same time as Ifeatu Melifonwu, who was activated Monday but then immediately placed on injured reserve once again with a different injury. Moseley’s 21-day activation clock ends next week, after the Lions play the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Ifeatu Melifonwu back on Lions injured reserve a day after being activated

The Lions placed safety Ifeatu Melifonwu back on injured reserve a day after being activated

No, it’s not a misprint. The Detroit Lions did indeed place safety Ifeatu Melifonwu on injured reserve on Tuesday.

Yes, it’s also true the Lions activated Melifonwu from I.R. on Monday.

What gives?

Melifonwu is back on I.R. for at least four more weeks with a finger injury. He had previously missed all of the 2024 campaign through Week 11 with an ankle issue suffered in Detroit’s second preseason game. Melifonwu injured his finger in practice last week after already being designated to return from I.R.

As head coach Dan Campbell explained on Monday, Melifonwu was going to be out for more time than the end of his 21-day activation window, which was originally slated for after the Week 12 trip to Indianapolis. The oft-injured reserve safety is now out until at least Week 16.

Melifonwu is eligible to be activated from I.R. a second time, though the team has a limited number of activations and several other players (Brodric Martin, Emmanuel Moseley, John Cominsky, Jalen Reeves-Maybin) also slated to come back at some point.

Lions Monday medical report – post-week 11 injury updates

Lions Monday medical report – post-week 11 updates on injured Lions players including Carlton Davis, Alex Anzalone and more

Another week, another injury to a Lions front-7 player. This time it’s a forearm fracture to Alex Anzalone. Fortunately, this injury will allow him to return this year and probably stronger than ever as I explain in my feature article.

Pending concerns include Shane Zylstra’s neck and Allen Robinson’s possible concussion. Many other players went down during the Jaguars game but most of those injuries appear to be minor.

On Monday, Dan Campbell gave a pessimistic update on Ifeatu Melifonwu saying “something came up…. he won’t be ready for a while… this is a different injury”. This may be due to Melifonwu’s new finger injury last week.

Here is the list of what I saw in the Jaguars game along with suspected diagnoses:

Amik Robertson – 1q 10:00 left thigh contusion

At the end of the first drive, he appeared to be hit in the left thigh which may have caused a simple charley horse. I didn’t see anything with the ankles or knees. He limped off but returned the next nickel package which was during the 3rd drive. He played the rest of the game with no noticeable effects.

Amik’s dad confirms that he is just fine.

Jahmyr Gibbs – 1q 1:50 mild abdominal contusion

Gibbs landed on the ball which could have caused an abdominal contusion, rib cartilage injury, or just wind. He left after the play but returned the same drive and finished out the game.

Frank Ragnow – 2q 9:19 left elbow/forearm contusion

Ragnow took a helmet directly to his left elbow/forearm area and came up grimacing. He didn’t miss a play. He finished the game without any kind of elbow wrap or pad which is reassuring. Likely, he just had a mild contusion.

Alex Anzalone – 2q 2:36 left forearm fracture

See my full article for details. Anzalone should be back within 6-8 weeks with no long-term concerns.

Carlton Davis – left thumb fracture earlier in week

Davis didn’t play in the second half but this presumably was a precaution for the left thumb fracture he suffered in practice a few days ago. Dan Campbell stated on Monday that during the game “he didn’t feel quite right”, so this is something to monitor this week.

Here is the cast/splint he was playing with:

Za’Darius Smith – 2q 00:45 right torso/ribs contusion

Smith took an elbow to the right torso which could have caused a rib or abdomen injury. He was in visible pain on the ground for a while but only missed one play. Likely this is just a contusion with the worst case being a rib fracture.

Penei Sewell – 3q 1:12 torso strain

Video was obscured but he did get his torso crushed by Ragnow. Two plays later, Sewell landed hard on his torso which may have aggravated the initial issue. He didn’t miss a play and finished the game in good shape.

Allen Robinson – 4q 5:18 possible concussion

Robinson takes a hard blow to the head here and also bangs his head on the ground. He is slow getting up which is concerning for a concussion. He tried to stay in for the next play but was sent off for a concussion evaluation. Presumably he has passed the evaluation since there has been no news. Delayed symptoms are possible and we should know that by Wednesday.

Shane Zylstra – 4q 6:22 neck

Zylstra pulled himself out after this play and was officially listed as a neck injury. He did not return to the game. I reviewed all his plays in the 4th quarter and nothing jumped out. Neck injuries often don’t show much on video as we saw with Saivion Smith’s temporary paralysis in 2022. Hopefully, this is just a simple cervical muscle strain.

What’s the outlook for Alex Anzalone and his forearm fracture?

Breaking down the medical outlook at prognosis for return for Lions LB Alex Anzalone after he broke his arm in Week 11

Alex Anzalone injured his left forearm on November 17, 2024, late in the 2nd quarter vs the Jaguars.

Diagnosis

Dan Campbell confirmed a left forearm fracture postgame. The forearm comprises two bones – radius and ulna. Either or both could have been broken.

Mechanism

Anzalone’s left forearm was forcibly trapped between 2 players. Being trapped created a leverage point causing the bone(s) to break.

Prognosis

Anzalone will likely have surgery using plate and screws to fix the bone(s) with an initial estimated recovery of 6-8 weeks as relayed by Dan Campbell. The bone(s) should be fully healed in that 6-8 week timeframe.

Long-term outlook

The forearm bones heal reliably well and there is unlikely to be any damage to the elbow or wrist joints based on the video. There is a small chance that the metal hardware can cause chronic pain and may need to be removed down the road. Overall, there are no long-term concerns for his arm or his level of play.

When can we expect a return to the field?

Anzalone will almost certainly be back for the playoffs with a good chance of being available for the final 1-2 regular season games. A six-week timeline would have him play in the second-to-last regular season game on Monday Night Football, December 30, vs the 49ers. The final regular season game is January 5 vs the Vikings.

Returning earlier than six weeks is a realistic possibility also. In 2023, Dallas Goedert of the Eagles had a similar-looking forearm fracture and returned in five weeks with a protective brace. An extreme example is Thomas Davis in 2016 who returned in two weeks for the Super Bowl wearing a 3D-printed brace. Players will push the envelope for the Super Bowl which is something we may see later with Aidan Hutchinson.

Returning before the bone is fully healed carries an increased risk of re-injury. This may have happened with Rob Gronkowski in 2013 when he returned in six weeks from a forearm fracture only to fracture it again two weeks later.

For the Lions, the priority is to have Anzalone healthy for the playoffs, so I expect them to play it safe and have him return around the 6-8 week mark when the bone is fully healed.

As with all injuries, return to play depends on factors beyond health including game importance, player importance, and quality of backups. If the playoff seedings are already locked in, Anzalone might see some extra time off.

Impact on team

The Lions will certainly miss this starting linebacker on the field. He is the fastest defender among the front seven with good coverage ability and the speed to contain mobile QB’s.

While Anzalone’s injury will hurt the team now, it may actually help the team later. As Anzalone expressed on X, a silver lining of an arm injury is that he will come back with “fresh legs”.

When he returns, the forearm may not be as strong, but the rest of his body will be healthier, stronger, and faster than it is now. Anzalone’s injury will weaken the team over the next few weeks, but will likely strengthen the team during the playoffs.

Alex Anzalone thanks fans for the support after the Lions LB broke his forearm

Alex Anzalone thanks fans for the support after the Lions LB broke his forearm in Detroit’s Week 11 win over Jacksonville

About the only thing that went wrong for the Detroit Lions in Sunday’s 52-6 evisceration of the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars was the injury bug biting the Lions defense once again. Starting linebacker and defensive captain Alex Anzalone left the game in the first half with what turned out to be a broken forearm.

The follically blessed linebacker is expected to miss 6-to-8 weeks, according to head coach Dan Campbell after the game. Anzalone received loads of social media “get well soon” comments, and No. 34 graciously addressed them in a post of his own,

Look: Aidan Hutchinson shows off his progress in recovering from a broken leg

Look: Aidan Hutchinson shows off his progress in recovering from a broken leg

It’s been a little over one month since Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson broke his lower leg in Detroit’s lopsided win in Dallas over the Cowboys. Breaking both the tibia and fibula in a freakish collision as he sacked Dak Prescott, Hutchinson is expected to miss the rest of the season. However, the Lions have left the door open that Hutchinson could return in time to play late in the postseason.

Hutchinson appears hard at work in making that chance into a reality, should the Lions make it to the Super Bowl in New Orleans. The Lions star posted a clip of his rehabilitation process on his Instagram over the weekend. This is Hutchinson bearing some weight in a rehab pool on the surgically repaired leg after four weeks.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCcIhiyPVt8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

While it’s not a miraculous leap like walking on water, merely walking in a pool of water is a big step for Hutchinson.

Lions injury update: Taylor Decker among those with changed practice status

Lions injury update: Taylor Decker among those with changed practice status from Wednesday, a list that also includes Carlton Davis

There was some good news and bad news from the Detroit Lions injury report after Thursday’s practice ahead of Week 11.

First, the good news. Left tackle Taylor Decker was a full participant in Thursday’s session with his shoulder. Decker missed the Week 10 win in Houston and was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice. That puts Decker in good position to play in Sunday’s game at Ford Field against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez also upgraded to a full participant. Rodriguez has missed the last two games with a knee injury.

Now, the bad news…

Starting CB Carlton Davis was downgraded with a hand injury. Davis was not listed on Wednesday’s report, indicating he suffered some form of malady during the session.

Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu also downgraded in status. Still on injured reserve but designated to return from a lingering ankle injury, Melifonwu dropped to a limited participant with a new finger listing.

Tight end Sam LaPorta sat out for the second consecutive day with a shoulder injury. LaPorta is not expected to play against Jacksonville.

Lions offer injury updates on Sam LaPorta and Taylor Decker

Lions coach Dan Campbell offers injury updates on Sam LaPorta and Taylor Decker after the Week 10 win in Houston

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell offered up some encouraging health updates on a couple of key Lions offensive players.

In his Monday press conference after the team’s comeback Week 10 win in Houston, Campbell gave vaguely positive status reports on left tackle Taylor Decker and tight end Sam LaPorta. Decker missed Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury, while LaPorta left the game in the second half with a shoulder injury of his own.

“Decker’s questionable but trending the right way,” Campbell said of the veteran left tackle. That’s an unofficial status designation by Campbell; the team doesn’t determine an official game status until after Friday’s practice.

Campbell offered a little more detail on LaPorta, leaving his status for the Week 11 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars up in the air,

“Yeah, it’s still – look, it’ll be day-to-day but not – we don’t feel like this is something like, ‘Oh, man, this going to be a long, nagging injury.’ I think we’ll get through it. I’m hopeful this week, but I can’t say that – he’s questionable.”

Lions injury update: An offensive lineman joins the team’s practice injury report

Lions injury update: An offensive lineman joins the team’s practice injury report, with left tackle Taylor Decker limited on Thursday

The Detroit Lions head to the final practice ahead of the team’s Week 10 trip to Houston in relatively good health. However, Thursday’s practice participation report did feature one new addition after a Wednesday session that saw two defensive contributors sit out with injury.

Linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin are still sidelined, and neither should be expected to play in Houston.

The new addition is left tackle Taylor Decker, who was listed as a limited participant with a shoulder. He was not on Wednesday’s injury list, and that practice was an estimated walkthrough.

Newly acquired DE Za’Darius Smith continues to be away from the team after initially reporting. Head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have both indicated Smith can play on Sunday and is excused from practice this week.

Defensive end Josh Paschal continues to battle back from the removal of a non-cancerous mass from his shoulder. The cancer survivor from his college days at Kentucky missed last week as well. Rookie defensive lineman, who missed Week 9, joined Paschal as a full participant in both of the practices this week.