The Detroit Lions held a scrimmage-like practice on Friday, but there were a pretty large amount of players sidelined for the day. Unfortunately, with no Dan Campbell press conference on Friday, many of these absences will remain a mystery until his next media session. But, for now, here’s everything we know about the players who weren’t in attendance on Friday.
Returned to practice:
- EDGE Tyler Lacy (undisclosed)
Lacy left practice early on Thursday, but his return on Friday suggests it was just a heat/cramps issues that many players were dealing with
on Thursday.
Appeared to be limited:
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs (hold-in, back)
- TE Tyler Conklin (calf)
- G Ben Bartch (undisclosed)
Even though his contract is now signed, Gibbs was still just limited in his participation on Friday, only participating in warm-ups. When the team went into scrimmage mode, he worked to the side with a trainer. While Dan Campbell did note that he was dealing with a little back injury, Gibbs laughed off the injury when asked if his back was okay.
“Yeah,” he said with a laugh.
Conklin continues to ramp up from his calf injury and do plenty of work with trainers. But he still hasn’t been cleared for team work, apparently, despite passing his physical this week. The same is true of Bartch.
Not practicing:
- QB Teddy Bridgewater (undisclosed)
- RB Isiah Pacheco (undisclosed)
- RB Sione Vaki (eye, broken nose)
- OT Giovanni Manu (NFI)
- G Juice Scruggs (undisclosed)
- EDGE Derrick Moore (groin)
- EDGE Payton Turner (back)
- DT Mekhi Wingo (groin)
- DT Aidan Keanaaina (undisclosed)
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle)
- LB Jimmy Rolder (leg)
- CB D.J. Reed (undisclosed)
- S Kerby Joseph (PUP, knee)
S Brian Branch (PUP, Achilles)
We’ve got a lot of injuries questions saved for Dan Campbell’s next press conference (Sunday morning). Campbell hasn’t spoken since Tuesday and some injuries have piled up since.
Bridgewater, Pacheco, Scruggs, and Reed all missed Thursday’s practice, and their absence on Friday suggests it may have been more than rest or heat-related issues. Hopefully we get some good news from the Lions head coach Sunday, but at this moment, there is no news on their absences.
Keanaaina’s absence is currently unexplained, while Wingo left Thursday’s practice early with a groin injury. Wingo was out with his teammates on Friday and offered some nondescript encouraging words to media when walking off the field.
While there was no official update on players injured during Friday’s practice, it’s worth noting running back Jabari Small was dealing with discomfort in his leg and at the end of practice he was wearing a brace over his knee.
