Tag: Detroit Lions injury update

Lions WR Tyrell Williams in concussion protocol

Williams suffered a brain injury on an illegal hit from 49ers Jaquiski Tartt

The injuries keep mounting for the Detroit Lions. Starting wide receiver Tyrell Williams is temporarily sidelined with a concussion.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirmed that Williams is in the NFL’s concussion protocol during his press conference on Monday. Williams left Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers after suffering a brain injury on an illegal hit for 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt, who was penalized on the play.

The play ended Williams’ afternoon early. He managed just two catches for 14 yards in his Lions regular-season debut.

With Williams uncertain as the Lions prepare to face the Green Bay Packers on Monday night in Week 2, Detroit’s receiving corps will need someone to step up. Kalif Raymond led the WRs in snaps in Week 1. Both Raymond and rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown were targeted four times in the loss.

Campbell spoke well of St. Brown after the rookie’s NFL debut,

“Amon-Ra did a good job, but it was Amon-Ra’s first NFL football game against a very good team, good defense. He’s no different than all those other guys. It’s something to build off of.”

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Jeff Okudah out for the season with a torn Achilles

Okudah is a big loss for a very inexperienced Lions secondary

The worst-case scenario from Sunday’s injury front proved to be the reality on Monday. An MRI confirmed that Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah tore his Achilles tendon in the second half of the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Okudah will miss the rest of the season on the injured reserve list after having surgery.

It’s a big blow for the Lions at a position where the team has scant proven depth. Okudah was the team’s top cornerback and had a very strong training camp. He got beaten for a touchdown during the 49ers game but also had a nice PD and was generally in good position in coverage throughout the game.

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Lions CB Jeff Okudah suffers potential Achilles injury in Week 1 loss

Okudah will get an MRI on Monday to determine the exact injury, per Lions head coach Dan Campbell

Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah slowly limped off the field in the second half of Detroit’s season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers after being injured on a play. While nothing is definitive just yet, it’s not sounding good for the second-year CB.

In his postgame press conference, Lions head coach Dan Campbell indicated that Okudah is being evaluated for a possible Achilles injury. Okudah will have an MRI on Monday at the team’s facility to determine the exact injury.

It’s a rough blow for the Lions and for Okudah, who played his rookie season while dealing with a core muscle injury that limited his mobility. Okudah is the Lions top starter at CB and the team is incredibly young and inexperienced in the secondary.

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Lions injury update: Decker out, 4 players listed as questionable for Week 1

The top 3 defensive ends on the depth chart are all questionable

The official injury report for the Detroit Lions rules out one starter and lists four defensive players as questionable for Sunday’s Week 1 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.

Left tackle Taylor Decker is out with his finger injury. Coach Dan Campbell indicated on Friday that Decker could need surgery and that Decker “will be down for a bit.”

The questionable players are all on the defensive side of the ball. More problematic is that three of those players all play the same spot. Defensive ends Michael Brockers, Levi Onwuzurike and Nick Williams are all questionable with their injuries.

Starting slot corner A.J. Parker is also listed as questionable with a shoulder injury. Parker made the team as an undrafted rookie and quickly played his way up the depth chart.

The good news comes on offense, where T.J. Hockenson and D’Andre Swift do not carry injury designations.

Dan Campbell: Lions LT Taylor Decker will ‘be down for a little bit’ with his finger injury

Decker injured his finger in a pass protection drill in practice, which will force the Lions to shuffle the offensive line for Week 1

The speculation that Lions left tackle Taylor Decker would miss the Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers turned into reality on Friday. Detroit head coach Dan Campbell delivered the unfortunate news in his press conference before practice.

“Taylor Decker had a hand injury early in the week and it looks like he’s going to be down for a little bit,” Campbell said before taking questions.

“We’ll adjust from there and we’ll move forward,” Campbell continued. He noted that Decker injured himself doing a pass protection drill in practice.

The Lions have a few options, though none are optimal. Penei Sewell played left tackle in college but the Lions are intent on making him the long-term solution at right tackle. Campbell noted “he’s getting pretty comfortable on the right”, and appeared to downplay the concept of moving Sewell to left tackle on a temporary basis.

Swing tackle Matt Nelson is an option, as is the idea of moving right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai to left tackle and installing Logan Stenberg in at RG.  Vaitai started at left tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles during their Super Bowl season in 2017 but has played on the right side since.

Taylor Decker misses practice, status for Week 1 in question

Lions left tackle Taylor Decker misses practice, status for Week 1 in question with a finger injury

Starting left tackle Taylor Decker did not participate in Detroit Lions practice on Thursday at all due to a finger injury. This comes a day after Decker was a limited participant in Wednesday’s session and calls into doubt his availability for Sunday’s visit from the San Francisco 49ers.

The exact nature of the finger injury is not yet clear, but it’s enough to create real skepticism about Decker being able to play in Week 1. After practice, tight end T.J. Hockenson spoke as if Decker would not be playing, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

If Decker cannot play, the Lions will use top reserve OL Matt Nelson in some capacity. Nelson is a tackle but can also play guard. Rookie Penei Sewell is likely to remain at right tackle after the team has worked very hard to get the first-rounder acclimated to playing that side. Starting right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai does have experience playing left tackle in the NFL too.

Lions injury update: D’Andre Swift full go, 5 players limited in practice

Both D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson were full participants after missing much of the preseason with injuries

We have our first official injury report for the 2021 season. The Lions released the practice status report following Wednesday’s prep session for the Week 1 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers.

The good news: The team’s two top offensive weapons were full participants. Running back D’Andre Swift (groin) and tight end T.J. Hockenson (shoulder) are looking good after missing time in the preseason with their respective injuries.

The not-so-good news: Five other Lions were limited participants in Wednesday’s practice.

  • DE Michael Brockers (shoulder)
  • LT Taylor Decker (finger)
  • DE Levi Onwuzurike (hip)
  • CB A.J. Parker (shoulder)
  • DE Nick Williams (elbow)

Brocker, Onwuzurike and Williams all play the same spot, which leaves the Lions perilously thin at defensive end if they are unable to go on Sunday. The injuries to Brockers and Onwuzurike have lingered throughout the offseason programs and have been presented as more precautionary inactivity than injuries that would sideline them for games.

Lions waive OT Dan Skipper from injured reserve

Lions waive OT Dan Skipper from injured reserve with an injury settlement

The Detroit Lions made a minor roster move on Monday. The team waived injured offensive tackle Dan Skipper from the injured reserve list. Skipper took an injury settlement in lieu of staying on Detroit’s I.R. list for the year.

Skipper injured his knee in the final preseason game and was waived with injury designation. When no other team claimed the 6-foot-10 reserve tackle, he reverted to the Lions’ I.R., the same status as fellow reserve OT Tyrell Crosby. It ended his season with the Lions.

Because Skipper took an injury settlement, he is now free to sign with another team and will be eligible to play in 2021 once he is healthy enough to pass a physical. Skipper played well enough in training camp and the preseason to merit legit consideration to making Detroit’s final 53-man roster and could garner some interest elsewhere if he can recover from the knee injury.

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Lions place QB Tim Boyle and DE Da’Shawn Hand on I.R.

Boyle and Hand heading to I.R. was expected and opens up two spots on the active roster

Tim Boyle and Da’Shawn Hand are heading to the Detroit Lions injured reserve. Detroit announced the moves in a series of roster maneuvers on Thursday.

Boyle, the Lions’ backup quarterback has been placed on I.R. with a broken thumb. Boyle had surgery to repair his right (throwing) thumb on Monday and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. He broke his thumb while being sacked on the first drive of the Lions’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts last Friday. Boyle stayed in the game and authored his most impressive drive of the preseason on the subsequent drive.

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Hand suffered a groin injury on August 10th and has been idle since. The defensive end has battled injuries throughout his Detroit career; he’s been placed on I.R. at least once in each of his four seasons with the Lions.

The Lions held off placing Boyle and Hand on I.R. until after the final roster cutdowns so they are eligible to come back in 2021. Each must miss a minimum of three games.

The NFL kept the unlimited I.R. return rule implemented in 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic, so going on injured reserve no longer ends a player’s season.

Tim Boyle has a broken thumb, status for 2021 uncertain

Coach Campbell revealed that Boyle broke his thumb in the preseason finale and is having surgery on Monday

After sputtering for most of training camp and the preseason, Lions backup quarterback Tim Boyle put together a fantastic scoring drive on Detroit’s second possession in the exhibition game against the Indianapolis Colts on Friday night. Amazingly enough, Boyle directed the 14-play drive with a broken thumb on his throwing hand.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed on Monday that Boyle suffered a broken thumb in the preseason finale. Boyle injured the right thumb when he was bowled under on a sack that ended the Lions’ first possession. Per Campbell, Boyle is having surgery on Monday.

Despite the injury, Campbell did not rule out Boyle from returning in 2021. He remains on the team’s roster after the first wave of roster cutdown moves.

Boyle was signed this offseason to compete with David Blough for the backup QB position behind Jared Goff. Blough played well enough to earn the spot, but Boyle’s strong finish showed why the Lions chased the ex-Packers reserve in free agency.

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