SB Nation • 8 min read

Lions, Chiefs injury designations: 4 ruled OUT, 6 game-time decisions

The Detroit Lions (4-1) and Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) have declared their injury designations ahead of their Week 6 battle on “Sunday Night Football,” and it appears the Lions are headed toward several

game-time decisions.

Let’s take a look at the latest injury report and get you up to date with what we know. Note: Any changes from the last injury report will be bolded.

Ruled OUT

RB Sione Vaki (groin)

DT Alim McNeill (ACL — Still on PUP) — Days remaining on clock: 11
LB Zach Cunningham (hamstring)
CB Terrion Arnold (shoulder)

Vaki and Cunningham will miss their third straight game with lingering soft tissue injuries. The fact that neither landed on injured reserve suggests they could be back to practicing soon, but with a bye on the horizon in Week 8, they may not even be able to re-acclimate before that break.

McNeill will remain on the Reserve/PUP list for another week, but according to Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers, the plan is to return him ahead of the Lions’ Week 7 game against the Bucs. When he does return to action, look for the Lions to take it slow with McNeill and limit his snaps in his first game back.

“I think being smart, you get him 20, 25 plays,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of McNeill’s snap count expectations when activated. “I think being smart, that’s the right thing to do. Yup, he’d be ready for that.”

Arnold is expected to miss some time, so him being ruled out is not a surprise, but we are still waiting for more clarity on how much time he’ll be expected to miss.

Questionable

WR Kalif Raymond (neck)
LT Taylor Decker (shoulder)
OT Giovanni Manu (knee)
DB Avonte Maddox (hamstring)
DB Brian Branch (ankle)
S Kerby Joseph (knee)

Raymond missed practice on Wednesday but returned to the practice field on Thursday and will have a chance to play on Sunday night. Teams are typically very cautious with neck injuries, so there’s still a possibility he sits this game out.

Decker has said that he feels improved and is working toward playing this week. However, after not practicing all week, he could be headed for another week off. That being said, he’s played in games after not practicing all week in the past, so there’s still an outside chance for him to suit up.

Manu popped up on the injury report on Thursday and missed practice on Friday. His listing as questionable gives him at least some hope of being available to play this week, if Decker doesn’t—and if Dan Skipper hasn’t jumped him on the depth chart.

Branch, Joseph, and Maddox are all considered “game-time” decisions, according to Campbell, and the loss of any one of them would force the Lions to make some significant changes in their secondary.

Branch got in two limited practices this week before having an MRI on Thursday and missing practice on Friday. Campbell said it will come down to “how he’s going to feel for this game,” but also alluded to the fact that he thought he might be available.

“I feel like we’re going to get him to the game. I really do, but we’ll see. I can’t sit here and guarantee it, either,” Campbell said.

Joseph has played after missing multiple practices in a week before, but he typically finds the practice field at least once during the week—which was not the case this time around. His status seems a bit more tenuous.

Maddox popped up on the injury report on Thursday, and like with Manu, that is typically an indicator that a player might miss the upcoming game. However, Campbell didn’t close the door on Maddox just yet, grouping him in with the other game-time decisions.

Not listed with an injury designation

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (wrist)

St. Brown missed practice on Wednesday but was able to return to practice on Thursday and Friday, and it looks like he’ll start against the Chiefs.

”I feel all good,” St. Brown said. “It’s been bugging me for a little (while), but (Wednesday was) just a day to really rest, get my legs back under me. Nothing to worry about. It’ll be all good.”