It was a welcomed day of relatively good injury news from Allen Park, as the Detroit Lions took the field for their 11th training camp practice off the offseason. The Lions got a starter back at practice, and a few others appear to be on the route to returning—possibly very soon.
Lions coach Dan Campbell also gave some relatively promising news regarding safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.
“His rehab is coming along very well,” Campbell said of Joseph. “So I still see him on the Branch plan, if
that makes sense. And Branch is doing well, too. So those guys, we’re talking about on down the road, the season’s already begun, but I like where Kerby is at.”
Here’s a look at the rest of the team’s injury situation, based on my own personal observations, as there are no official injury reports in the offseason.
Returned to practice:
- S Avonte Maddox
After missing just one day of practice, Maddox was back out there with his teammates. At this point, Maddox is expected to be a starter, so it’s great news his absence did not appear to be serious. He wasn’t in on many team drills, with Thomas Harper working in with the starters.
Working with trainers, not practicing:
- RB Sione Vaki (broken nose, poked eye)
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle)
- EDGE Derrick Moore (groin)
Great news to see Sione Vaki out there doing work with a trainer and a helmet on. He was sporting a visor to protect his face and his eye was still bloodshot. It’s hard to know when the Lions would be comfortable putting him out there with such a unique injury, but the fact that he’s putting a helmet on is certainly a good sign.
Rodriguez did as much action with a trainer as I have seen since his exit with an ankle injury. He could be on the track to returning soon, but it’s still been Devin White filling in with the first-team.
Moore continues to get in work, and is likely nearing a return. We are on Day 8 of Campbell’s 7-to-10 day estimate for Moore’s absence.
Not practicing:
- RB Isiah Pacheco (undisclosed)
- RB Jabari Small (undisclosed)
- OT Giovanni Manu (NFI)
- OT Devin Cochran (undisclosed)
- C Cade Mays (wrist)
- G Juice Scruggs (undisclosed)
- EDGE Payton Turner (back)
- DT Aidan Keanaaina (undisclosed)
- LB Damone Clark (undisclosed)
- LB Jimmy Rolder (leg)
- CB Khalil Dorsey (undisclosed)
- S Kerby Joseph (PUP, knee)
- S Brian Branch (PUP, Achilles)
Small has been favoring his knee for several practices now, so it’s not surprising to see him take a day off. But he can’t afford to take too many days off, as he is locked in with Jacob Saylors for the RB4 battle.
“Small’s having a good camp,” Campbell said Monday. “I mean, I feel like those two guys are just jockeying with each other right now. One guy’s a little bit ahead. The next day, the other guy’s a little bit ahead. And I love where they’re at on special teams because that’ll be big for both of those players.”
Cochran left practice very early on Monday, so his absence is not unexpected. Miles Frazier continued to get plenty of reps at tackle to help with the shorthanded unit.
I didn’t see Dorsey out there, leaving Ennis Rakestraw to pull some double duty with the second and third teams.
Injured during practice
- WR Jameson Williams (wind)
There was a scary moment during the final drill of practice when Jameson Williams came down with an out route on the sidelines and stayed down for a minute or two. However, word is he only got the wind knocked out of him, and he was all smiles coming off the field. So there is no concern there.
