Tag: Detroit Lions injury update

Kenny Golladay among 4 Lions out, Jeff Okudah 1 of 6 limited at Thursday’s practice

The team’s first 3 draft picks in 2020 were all limited in Thursday’s practice

The practice injury report from Allen Park was a meaty one on Thursday. It’s not the kind of meat Lions fans want to chew on with just one more practice before Sunday’s Week 1 opener at Ford Field against the Chicago Bears.

Four players sat out the practice altogether according to the team’s official injury report. Most notable is starting WR Kenny Golladay, who was a limited participant in Wednesday’s session. Golladay is working through a hamstring injury he suffered during Wednesday’s practice. Coach Matt Patricia indicated the Lions “were just trying to make sure we did a good job of taking a look at it.”

The others who did not participate:

  • Starting RT Halapoulivaati Vaitai (foot)
  • Safety and special teams standout C.J. Moore (hamstring)
  • TE Hunter Bryant (hamstring)

Neither Moore nor Bryant has practiced this week. Vaitai was limited on Wednesday before sitting out Thursday.

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The top three draft picks for the team headline the limited participants. Cornerback Jeff Okudah, running back D’Ande Swift and defensive end Julian Okwara all missed at least part of practice. Okudah’s injury was a new one, suffering a hamstring issue. Swift was also limited on Wednesday with his hip injury. He has not been a full participant in practice in the last three weeks. Okwara remains limited with a knee injury.

Others listed as limited:

  • WR Danny Amendola (hamstring)
  • DE Da’Shawn Hand (groin)
  • CB Darryl Roberts (groin)

All three have been limited in all practices this week.

Lions injury report: Only Hunter Bryant and C.J. Moore idle at Wednesday’s practice

Matt Patricia indicated only Bryant and Moore would sit out Wed. practice

The Detroit Lions appear to be entering Week 1 against the Chicago Bears on a healthy note. Nearly the entire team practiced in Allen Park on Wednesday, just four days before the opener at Ford Field.

Coach Matt Patricia declared all but two players a full go for Wednesday’s practice during his pre-practice Zoom session with the media.

“We’re ready to go to practice, ready to get going here for the Bears,” Patricia said in his opening statement. “Two guys here, Hunter Bryant and C.J. Moore will probably not doing much in practice here today. Everybody else will be working through.”

That’s an indication that RB D’Andre Swift is back to being a full participant in practices. The rookie RB missed most of training camp with an undisclosed lower body injury.

Bryant is expected to miss at least Week 1 with a hamstring injury. The tight end is the only undrafted rookie to make the Lions 53-man roster this year.

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The team is required to release an official injury report later in the week, but Patricia offered no additions to the injury list during his press conference.

Hunter Bryant’s injury continues to keep the UDFA tight end sidelined

It’s hard to see Bryant making the Lions final roster after he’s missed weeks of practice with a hamstring injury

When the Detroit Lions first revealed their undrafted rookie class of 2020, Hunter Bryant was a popular favorite to be the most likely to make the 53-man roster. An undersized (6-2, 239) receiving-oriented tight end from Washington, Bryant offered the right promise of upside and ability at a position of weakness in Detroit.

Bryant earned some early praise from head coach Matt Patricia.

“I think, obviously, there’s a great deal that he does well in the passing game, and we’ve been able to see a little bit of that,” Patricia said in August. “And I think he’s done an outstanding job first and foremost of just taking advantage of his opportunity with maybe some of the other things that have gone on. And he’s gotten out there with some of those groups and has really just done a great job.”

Alas, Bryant’s strong start and chances of making the roster have been hamstrung by a hamstring injury. The rookie has not practiced since August 22nd and remains out with just two full days to go before the roster cutdown is due.

Coach Patricia initially left Bryant off his list of limited participants or those sitting out Wednesday’s practice. He was unusually (for Patricia) short on words when asked specifically about Bryant later in his Zoom press conference.

 “Thank you, I did skip that by accident. Hunter Bryant will not be at practice today,” Patricia said. Next question.
Unfortunately for Bryant, availability is an ability he has not shown in training camp. It’s difficult to project him making the final roster after missing the final two-plus weeks of training camp. Bryant could be a candidate for injured reserve as a rookie with a chance to try and prove he can make it in 2021.

Lions ‘trying to be smart’ in easing D’Andre Swift back into action

Swift sat out Tuesday’s practice after going through drills on Monday

D’Andre Swift’s absence from practices continues to be a pressing issue for the Detroit Lions. With lofty expectations for the team’s second-round pick, Swift missing more than a week of the Lions’ summer practice sessions has sounded some serious alarm bells.

Head coach Matt Patricia tried to quiet those alarms in his pre-practice Zoom session with the media on Tuesday. Despite practice being closed, Patricia still meets with the media for a daily update.

“We’re trying to be smart with that,” Patricia said in answering questions about Swift’s status.

Patricia indicated Swift did not have any setbacks after participating in drills during Monday’s session. The rookie from Georgia has only made brief appearances on the practice field in the last two weeks after suffering an unspecified lower-body injury. Swift also sat out Tuesday’s session.

Swift is expected to share the primary RB role with Kerryon Johnson, if not exceed the third-year vet’s workload. Johnson is healthy after missing most of last season with a knee injury.

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Trey Flowers, D’Andre Swift among several Lions held out of Friday’s practice

Swift has barely practiced in the last 10 days

Friday’s practice session was moved indoors at the Detroit Lions training facility in Allen Park due to thunderstorms in the area. The move inside kept the media closed out from watching the session, as well as postponing the team’s live stream from camp for another day.

Several prominent Lions players sat out the practice with a varying range of injuries. Among the Detroit walking wounded who were held out of practice:

LT Taylor Decker – practiced Thursday but was “a little sore” according to head coach Matt Patricia.

DE Trey Flowers – the exact same status as Decker, soreness and more of a veteran day off than any real injury

RB D’Andre Swift – the unspecified lower-body injury that has kept Swift from practicing for most of the last 10 days continues to plague the rookie RB.

RB Bo Scarbrough 

FB Nick Bawden

DE Da’Shawn Hand

TE Hunter Bryant

Coach Patricia said of the latter foursome, “a day of rest, (they’re all) on kind of the same program.” Scarbrough has been in and out for most of camp.

The Lions will be back outside (weather permitting) on Saturday morning.

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Lions RB Kerryon Johnson is ‘at one with the knee brace’

Lions RB Kerryon Johnson is accepting of having to always wear a brace on his oft-injured right knee

Lions running back Kerryon Johnson has a lengthy injury history that has stymied his burgeoning NFL career. In two seasons he’s been able to start just 14 of 32 games, with both seasons marred by separate knee injuries.

The affable Johnson now sports a knee brace fulltime in football activities. In his Zoom media session after Saturday’s sun-soaked practice session, Johnson admitted he’s made peace with the cumbersome-looking device on his right leg.

“(I am) one with the knee brace,” Johnson declared. “The knee brace is me now. I am the knee brace guy.”

Johnson’s status heading into his third season has been a question, though the brace has helped keep him active in all of training camp so far. Rookie D’Andre Swift and backup Bo Scarbrough both missed the last two days with undisclosed ailments. Kerryon has been the lead back, with Ty Johnson seizing the No. 2 RB role in their absences.

Bo Scarbrough still sidelined from Lions practice

Jonathan Williams has impressed while getting BoScar’s reps

Our Erik Schlitt is in the socially distanced media scrum in Allen Park today to report live from the action. One player Schlitt and the rest of the Lions won’t see on the practice field on Friday is running back Bo Scarbrough.

Coach Matt Patricia announced that the powerful RB remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury. Scarbrough has not practiced in full since Monday’s first session at the Lions training facility.

His extended absence helps explain why the Lions signed free agent Jonathan Williams earlier this week. Like Scarbrough, Williams is a power-based inside runner with a lengthy injury history of his own.

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T.J. Hockenson shows more muscle in a weight room training video

T.J. Hockenson shows more muscle and looks recovered from his broken ankle in a weight room training video posted to his Facebook feed

One of the frequent criticisms of Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson in his rookie season was that he needed to get stronger. At 6-foot-5, Hockenson was a relatively lean 247 pounds in 2019 and he often lacked power and bulk in blocking and contested catch situations.

Hockenson apparently heard the criticism and took it to heart. In a video published to his Facebook story this week, Hockenson shows off considerable upper-body definition and muscle mass that wasn’t there at this time last year.

Hockenson is working his way back from a nasty broken ankle suffered late in the season. He looks good making athletic moves in the video, a nice sign for his availability for training camp and the upcoming season.

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Injuries forced the Lions to play 11 rookies vs. Washington

It’s not an excuse for the loss. It’s a fact of life in the NFL that injuries happen and the depth will be tested. Detroit’s depth is being tested harder than most teams right now, and it failed in Washington.

The list of the injured Lions is almost longer than the roster members who aren’t walking wounded. Check the Week 12 inactives list for Detroit’s game in Washington.

Matthew Stafford remained out with his broken back. Center Frank Ragnow, the Lions’ best offensive lineman and the man responsible for the line calls, also missed Sunday’s game. So did top defensive linemen Trey Flower and Da’Shawn Hand. Don’t forget safety Tracy Walker, the most consistent player in pass defense on the roster.

Between those guys who couldn’t go on the active roster and the ample list of running backs and linemen on IR already, several rookies were thrust into action.

Four players were active for a regular season game for the first time in their rookie careers. Draftees Austin Bryant and Isaac Nauta joined UDFA Beau Benzschawel and Cowboys draft pick (signed off their practice squad) Michael Jackson picked up their first game checks.

They were among 11 rookies playing in the game. Nearly a quarter of the Lions roster for the Redskins game was rookies. Some played well, including CB Amani Oruwariye snagging his first career interception.

It’s not an excuse for the loss. It’s a fact of life in the NFL that injuries happen and the depth will be tested. Detroit’s depth is being tested harder than most teams right now, and it failed in Washington.

Lions postgame injury report: Trey Flowers and Frank Ragnow evaluated for concussions

Two more critical starters went down with injuries in the loss to Dallas

Already starting a backup quarterback and a running back promoted from the practice squad due to a rash of injuries across the roster, the Detroit Lions had more injury woes after the team’s 35-27 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Starting defensive end Trey Flowers and starting center Frank Ragnow are both being evaluated for concussions following the game in Ford Field. Coach Matt Patricia mentioned them specifically in his postgame press conference. Both players departed the game in the second half.

Right tackle Rick Wagner missed this game with a concussion of his own. If Ragnow winds up being sidelined for any amount of time, the meager depth on the offensive line will be severely tested.