The Detroit Lions (4-2) and Minnesota Vikings (6-0) were back on the practice field on Thursday as they prepare for their Week 8 NFC North showdown. The Lions returned all seven starters to practice on Thursday, as planned, including Jahmyr Gibbs (shoulder) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle).
Let’s take a look at Thursday’s injury report and get you up to date with what we know.
Note: Any changes from the most recent injury report will be bolded.
No practice
- None
All 53 players on the Lions’ active roster practiced Thursday.
Limited practice
- CB Ennis Rakestraw (ankle)
- S Kerby Joseph (Knee, PUP) — Days remaining in injury evaluation clock: 19
Rakestraw was forced from Week 7’s game against the Packers, and while that typically means no practice early in the week, he hasn’t missed a practice yet. While limited, he is on track to be available for his rotational outside cornerback role again this weekend.
Joseph is slowly being worked back into football shape, but has stacked two practices as he moves through the injury evaluation process. He still has 19 days remaining in that window, and the Lions will use all of them if they deem he needs them in order to be ready. Considering he hasn’t been on the practice field in basically a year, it’d be a stretch for him to be ready for the Vikings; the Dolphins game could also be in question, meaning his first game back could end up being against the Patriots in Germany.
Full practice
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs (shoulder) — upgraded from no practice on Wednesday
- RB Jacob Saylors (neck) — upgraded from limited practice Wednesday
- WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) — upgraded from no practice on Wednesday
- OT Penei Sewell (rest) — upgraded from no practice on Wednesday
- DT Alim McNeill (rest) — upgraded from no practice on Wednesday
- DT Tyleik Williams (illness) — upgraded from no practice on Wednesday
- EDGE Aidan Hutchinson (rest) — upgraded from no practice on Wednesday
- EDGE DJ Wonnum (rest) — upgraded from no practice on Wednesday
Gibbs was unexpectedly added to Wednesday’s injury report due to a shoulder injury, but it did not restrict him from getting back to practice on Thursday. After practice, Gibbs told reporters he was surprised to see he was listed as questionable on an alert on his phone and downplayed the injury.
“It said ‘questionable’ I don’t know what was questionable. I was confused. It popped up on my phone, and I’m like ‘What the hell?’” Gibbs said. “Yeah, just got dinged up a little bit, a little shoulder thing, but I’m good, though. I’m straight.”
Lions coach Dan Campbell will likely address the injury at his Friday press conference, but there are no indications this will impact his ability to contribute against the Vikings.
Saylors was also unexpectedly present on the Lions injury report, but his getting in two practices so far this week is a good sign he’s on track to be available on Sunday. With DeAndre Carter only starting his second game at kick returner, the Lions would feel more comfortable if Saylors could also start alongside him.
St. Brown tweaked his ankle in Week 7, and while he missed practice on Wednesday, he was back in the fold on Thursday, following the plan Campbell detailed earlier in the week. St. Brown is expected to be good to start on Sunday.
“It’s good,” St. Brown told reporters Thursday. “It just got stepped on throughout the game. So it just got swelled up a little, but I’m all good.”
Sewell, McNeill, Hutchinson, and Wonnum got the veteran rest day on Wednesday, and as Campbell suggested earlier in the week, they returned to the practice field on Thursday. The Lions hope the extra day of rest will give their superstars a little more juice against the Vikings this Sunday.
Williams technically missed practice Wednesday due to an illness, which is common in Michigan this time of year, but he was able to get back to work Thursday. He is expected to be good to go this weekend.
Vikings’ Thursday injury report
Coming soon.
