Cade Mays, C - Wrist fracture

Ian Rapoport shortly after reported: “Cade Mays fractured a small bone in his wrist, an injury that will keep him out roughly 8-10 weeks, source said.”

Last year, Khalil Dorsey had a wrist injury with a return-to-play in 8 weeks. If Mays has the same timeline, he’d be back for Week 4 - October 4 vs the Panthers.

What to make of Campbell’s initial statement? Reading his body language, I get the sense that he was just irritated talking about injuries all the time and having to give estimated timelines. Recall earlier in camp, he jokingly set Brian Branch’s timeline in “December”.

The wrist is a highly complex joint. Not only does it include 8 carpal (wrist) bones, but also the radius, ulna, and 5 metacarpals. Thus, there is a huge variety of fractures than can happen. We don’t know the exact fracture for Mays yet.

If Rapoport’s report is accurate that Mays broke a “small” bone, then that makes it more likely to be one of the carpal bones.

The scaphoid bone is one of the common wrist fractures. Recent cases of scaphoid fracture:

• Jaxon Smith-Njigba returned in about 4 weeks in 2023.

• Kayvon Thibodeaux returned in 7 weeks in 2024

The typical mechanism of a scaphoid fracture is falling onto an outstretched hand. That’s not what happened here with Mays though (chopped by an arm), which opens up the possibility he fractured a different bone.

Each specific wrist bone and type of fracture can have a different form of treatment and recovery. Surgery is a very likely possibility…

A fracture that affects the wrist joint can impact the joint function, and even lead to arthritic issues down the line. So residuals are possible, even after the fracture is fully healed.

Could Cade Mays go on IR?

Yes, it’s possible Mays goes on IR at the 53-man cutdown date on August 30. He can’t go on IR prior, as that would make him ineligible to return during the season. All NFL teams get to place two players on IR-designated-to-return at the cutdown date who don’t count towards the 53-man roster.

If Mays goes on IR, he can’t play until Week 5 - October 11 vs the Cardinals.

For the current updated Detroit Lions IR list, visit my Lions IR/PUP/NFI Tracker at the top of my home page.

Who is playing center until Mays comes back?

Here are the top contenders:

• Seth McLaughlin - According to Jeff Risdon who was at Lions practice today, McLaughlin was taking 1st-team reps. Results were mixed according to Jeff’s observations. That’s not a big surprise as McLaughlin carried a moderate medical concern level (6/10) due to lack of any game action since a ruptured Achilles in 2024.

• Juice Scruggs - Scruggs has a moderate medical concern level (5/10) due to a history of a fractured spine as well as a 2024 foot injury. The possibility of Scruggs as a starter made one reader very happy…

Speaking of Scruggs…

Juice Scruggs, OG/C - Soft tissue injury

No details of the specific injury here but Campbell reached for his groin area while describing Scruggs’s injury. Maybe he just had an itch. Scruggs may be out now, but it sounds like the injury is short-term.

Isiah Pacheco, RB - MCL sprain

The good news with an MCL is it generally heals very well. It’s likely that Pacheco has a grade 1 (mild) or grade 2 (moderate) MCL. A grade 1 MCL carries about a 1-2 week recovery while a grade 2 MCL carries a 2-4 week recovery time. This being preseason, there is no reason to push things, even with a very mild MCL.

The concern for Pacheco specifically is he had a right knee MCL last year (the current injury side is unknown). He is building up a lot of injury residuals which is why my medical concern level for Pacheco upon signing was a moderate 6/10.

MCL sprains are almost always caused by direct contact to the knee. With the Lions starting up full-contact practices in the past week, these are the kinds of injuries that can pop up.

Pacheco’s likely contact injury and Mays’ definite contact injury are some of the risks of running full-contact, live practices. This reignites the debate of the intensity of Detroit Lions’ practices.

For my earlier analysis of the pros/cons of training camp intensity, visit Detroit Lions training camp injuries: Is “live” tackling worth the risk?

Aidan Keanaaina, DT - Placed on IR

Read more

Lions fans are likely familiar with Dobbs who has been in the NFL since 2018 and has played for many teams - including the division-rival Vikings in 2023. He might be most famous for his aerospace engineering degree which earned him the nickname “The Passtronaut.”

Dobbs is also well-known for being a public advocate for those with alopecia areata - an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.

Below is the medical report for Dobbs. For the rest of the free agent medical reports, visit Lions Free Agency 2026 in the navigation bar above.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data includes playoffs & courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Josh Dobbs, QB (31)

Medical Concern Level: 2/10

Contract: 1-year, $1.425M with $475K guaranteed

• 2025: 4 games played

• 2024: 2 games

• 2023: 13 games

• 2022: 2 games

• 2021: Toe injury, to IR.

• 2020: 1 game

• 2018: 5 games

• Since 3rd grade: Alopecia areata

Dobbs hasn’t played a whole lot in his NFL career. The benefit of minimal playing time is low exposure to injury. He had a toe injury a few years ago which can be trouble for a scrambling QB, but has stayed healthy since. There are no other major injury concerns.

Dobbs’ alopecia areata can be associated with autoimmune disorders such as lupus and certain thyroid diseases. He likely has regular monitoring for signs of these issues, and it’s unlikely to be a problem during his NFL career.

His age of 31 is a bit older than you’d like for a QB who uses his speed and athleticism outside of the pocket. For spot emergency appearances though, Dobbs should be just fine. Hopefully, Jared Goff stays healthy and keeps this Passtronaut grounded all season.

Here are some of his quotes from his August 9, 2026 press conference along with my analysis. After that, I review the Detroit Lions two new signings, Ryan Cooper and Amen Ogbongbemiga.

Teddy Bridgewater (QB) - Surprise Retirement

It’s uncertain if Bridgewater’s retirement is health or injury related, but there was no indication of such from Dan Campbell. Bridgewater has no known active injury issues.

Dan Campbell was noticeably choked up talking about Bridgewater, but it’s uncertain what this means. Maybe it rules out another late-season return for Bridgewater like we saw in the 2024 season.

We’ll see what kind of veteran backup the Lions can find midway through training camp. It doesn’t sound like the Lions are comfortable with Luke Altmyer as the backup if he still needs a million more reps.

Update: The Lions are signing Josh Dobbs to a 1-year, $1.425M deal with $475K guaranteed.

Ben Bartch (OG) - Lisfranc Recovery Update

Bartch had a 9/10 medical concern level upon signing due to his Lisfranc surgery last year. He missed all of OTA and minicamp and the early part of training camp. It’s clear that the Lisfranc recovery has been a bigger problem than the Lions expected.

This health uncertainty doesn’t bode well for Bartch’s chances of making the roster, as the Lions are prioritizing reliability and availability this year.

Payton Turner (EDGE) - Lingering Back Issue

Like with Bartch, Turner had a very high medical concern level (10/10) upon signing. It was reassuring that Turner was healthy throughout OTA and minicamp. However, this mystery back issue that occurred at the start of camp that was supposed to be short-term has entered the 2-week mark.

If “day-to-day” starts becoming week-to-week, the Lions may decide to move on.

DJ Reed (CB) - New Groin Injury

Reed notably had a moderate-severe hamstring strain last season that kept him out for about two months. It’s good to hear this recent groin strain is much less severe. No reason to take any chances in training camp for this veteran.

Preseason Game 1: Will the Starters Play?

Don’t expect any entrenched starters to play in preseason Game 1 vs the Bengals. However, Dan Campbell went on to say that preseason Game 2 vs the Commanders is a different story.

With the Lions not having any joint practices this year along with the dreadful performance in Week 1 vs the Packers last year, it might be worth the risk for the starters to play a tiny bit in preseason.

Detroit Lions Sign 2 New Players

Below are the medical reports for Ryan Cooper and Amen Ogbongbemiga. For all the free agent medical reports, visit Lions Free Agency 2026 in the navigation bar above.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data includes playoffs & courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Ryan Cooper, CB (25)

Medical Concern Level: 1/10

• 2025: Waived with (unspecified) injury settlement

There are no reports of any significant injuries for Cooper. In his career, he has bounced around to various NFL practice squads as well as a stint in the UFL. There are no NFL game appearances for him.

Cooper’s signing may be in response to the recent loss of CB De’Shawn Rucker to IR due to an ankle injury.

Amen Ogbongbemiga, LB (28)

Medical Concern Level: 4/10

• 2025: 9 games played. Knee, to IR then returned. Later in season - hamstring, concussion.

• 2024: 17 games

• 2023: 15 games

• 2022: 18 games

• 2021: 15 games

Ogbongbemiga brings a lot of NFL game experience, mostly on special teams. Last season was hampered by numerous injuries, which raises some concern for the upcoming season.

Ogbongbemiga’s signing may be related to Malcolm Rodriguez recent ankle injury on August 4. There were reports that Rodriguez was taped up and walking around after the injury, which suggests a mild severity.

• 🟢Minimal concerns

• 🟡Some concerns

• 🔴Major concerns

For the comprehensive, regularly-updated look at the Detroit Lions injury situation, visit my Lions Player Injury Tracker.

🔴SAFETY

Active injury issues:

• Starters Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are not expected to be ready for the start of the season. There is uncertainty whether Joseph will be ready at all, although he has been seen working out next to the practice fields. Branch should be back around October with a small chance of late September.

Key healthy players:

• Christian Izien was briefly on NFI with the flu.

• Potential starters Chuck Clark, Avonte Maddox, and Thomas Harper are healthy.

• Dan Jackson is healthy after missing all last season with a leg injury.

🟡EDGE

Active injury issues:

• Key rookie and potential starter, Derrick Moore, suffered a minor groin strain on August 2 with an expected 1-2 week recovery time. He should be back soon.

• Oft-injured Payton Turner has yet to practice due to a back issue.

Key healthy players:

• The star player, Aidan Hutchinson, was healthy all last season in recovery from his tib/fib fracture. He continues to look great in 2026.

• Ahmed Hassanein is fully healthy after a pec injury last preseason.

• Potential starter, DJ Wonnum, is healthy.

🟡LINEBACKER

Active injury issues:

• Rookie Jimmy Rolder has a fairly severe hamstring strain - suspected to be a grade 2-3 - that will keep him out for weeks to months.

• Malcolm Rodriguez is in his second year back from his ACL and has been looking good. However, he has been out with a recent ankle injury suspected to be minor.

Key healthy players:

• All-Pro Jack Campbell is healthy.

• Derrick Barnes is suspected to have had a very minor right knee issue but is back practicing and seems to be fine.

• Backup contenders Trevor Nowaske, Erick Hunter, and Damone Clark are healthy.

🟡TIGHT END

Active injury issues:

• Miles Kitselman (leg) and Anthony Firkser (fractured fibula) were both put on IR.

Key healthy players:

• Sam LaPorta is a full-go after his microdiscectomy last November. His durability with full-contact football is something to watch though.

• Tyler Conklin spent about 1 week on PUP with a calf strain, but is back to practice.

• Brock Wright and Jackson Meeks are healthy.

🟢CORNERBACK

Active injury issues:

• UDFA De’Shawn Rucker had an ankle injury and was waived.

Key healthy players:

• Projected starters DJ Reed and Rock Ya-Sin are doing well. Reed looks fully recovered from his moderate-severe hamstring last season.

• Nick Whiteside has reportedly been making splash plays in camp.

• Rookies Keith Abney and Aamaris Brown, and veterans Khalil Dorsey and Roger McCreary are healthy.

• Ennis Rakestraw is back to making plays after hurting his shoulder in last year’s training camp.

🟢DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Active injury issues:

• Mekhi Wingo suffered a groin injury with uncertain severity and status.

Key healthy players:

• Alim McNeill looks great in his second year back from his ACL.

Read more

The Lions signing of Ben Stille today potentially could be a bad sign for Mekhi Wingo who suffered a groin injury yesterday. If so, the health concerns for Wingo are starting to stack up.

• In 2024, Wingo had knee meniscus surgery, which had a delayed recovery due to a follow-up surgery.

• In 2023, Wingo had groin surgery which could be a relevant factor in his current groin injury.

He only played in two games in 2025, but at least looked good in the season finale.

At just 23-years-old, Wingo still has a lot of potential, so hopefully this groin injury is mild, like the one that fellow lineman Derrick Moore suffered earlier. Moore’s groin strain occurred on August 2 and is expected to keep him out 7-10 days.

In a corresponding transaction, the Lions waived De’Shawn Rucker, who had a favorable medical report as a rookie UDFA. However, Rucker had an ankle injury yesterday of unknown severity.

Below is the medical report for Stille. For all the free agent medical reports, visit Lions Free Agency 2026 in the navigation bar above.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data includes playoffs & courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Ben Stille, DT (28)

Medical Concern Level: 0/10

• 2025: 0 games

• 2024: 6 games

• 2023: 5 games

• 2022: 7 games

Stille has only appeared in 18 games in his career, including none in 2025. He has logged 2 sacks total.

I found no reports of injuries to Stille, which makes him a clean prospect. However, his age is one of the higher ones among the Lions youthful DT group, which could put him at a disadvantage.

For the complete Lions DT preview entering training camp…

The financial investment makes a lot of sense for the Lions given not just his excellent production, but because of his young age and very low medical concern level.

Here is his favorable medical report:

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB (24)

Medical concern level: 0/10

• 2025: 17/17 games.

• 2024: 18/18 games.

• 2023: 18/20 games. Missed 2 games with hamstring suffered in practice.

Gibbs is ridiculously fast… even fast enough to outrun the Lions’ injury woes over the past couple seasons. He’s been healthy in every game the past two seasons and has missed only two games in his 3-year career.

That doesn’t mean he hasn’t had some injury scares…

2025 Season

This garbage-time play caused Gibbs to limp off…

Fortunately, he was fine. Hopefully, the Lions learned their lesson here and keep their high-priced stars out of garbage time in the future.

2024 Season

Gibbs’ left ankle and right knee escaped injury on this scary-looking tackle from behind…

The slight slipperiness of the Lambeau hybrid field may have saved him here.

OUTLOOK

Gibbs is still very young and has not accumulated injury residuals in his career. These factors give him a high chance of staying healthy both in the short and long-term. While his contract value may be expensive for the running back position, Gibbs is exactly the kind of guy that is worth the financial risk.

The list includes Hassan Haskins who Michigan Wolverine fans will fondly remember for his legendary 2021 performance vs Ohio State…

The Lions did not sign Haskins however, as they went with Raheem Blackshear who signed on August 4. Even though the Lions added a RB, I don’t expect Vaki’s injuries to keep him out for very long.

Below is the medical report for Blackshear. For all the Detroit Lions free agent medical reports, visit Lions Free Agency 2026 in the navigation bar above.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data includes playoffs & courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Raheem Blackshear, RB (28)

Medical Concern Level: 2/10

• 2025: Ankle injury in preseason then waived

• 2024: 16 games played. Chest contusion, hospital visit and missed 1 game. Shoulder injury.

• 2023: 12 games

• 2022: 13 games

There don’t appear to be any major injury concerns with Blackshear. He had an ankle injury last season and didn’t play all year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the injury was severe.

His age is getting up there a bit for the running back position, but along with that comes some game experience. In his career, he has a total of 52 rushing attempts for 203 yards.

The Lions ended up using 7 of their 8 IR-return slots in 2025. In the 2024 playoff-qualifying season, the Lions used 8 of 10 IR-return slots. Given the high number of injuries over the past two seasons, the Lions did well in keeping availability open.

Here is the detailed breakdown of how Brad Holmes preserved two IR-return slots in 2025 using clever roster moves with Ahmed Hassanein and Pat O’Connor. Expect the team to continue to employ these strategies in 2026.

Ahmed Hassanein - The Injury Waiver Release

August 16, 2025: Right pec strain

This 6th-round rookie went down with a pec strain during the third preseason game. Instead of putting him on IR-designated-to-return at the cutdown date, the Lions waived him with an injury settlement.

• The Risk: Injury waiving exposed Hassanein to waivers where any of the other 31 NFL teams could have claimed him.

• The Result: Hassanein cleared waivers and was re-signed to the Lions on November 10.

Hassanein is currently on a 1-year deal for the 2026 season worth $985,000 with $25,000 guaranteed.

Pat O’Connor - The IR Release & Re-Sign

Brad Holmes executed a quick release-and-re-sign cycle with veteran Pat O'Connor to free up a roster spot for nearly a month:

1. November 2, 2025: Unspecified knee injury

2. November 14, 2025: Placed on IR

3. November 15, 2025: Released from IR with injury settlement

4. December 8, 2025: Re-signed with the Lions

The Lions may have had a handshake deal with O’Connor to release and re-sign.

Why Handshake Deals Work for the Detroit Lions

Both the Hassanein and O'Connor transactions likely relied heavily on trust and mutual understanding between front-office leadership and the player. While these tactics carry the risk of a player signing elsewhere, strong organizational relationships make them highly effective.

It will be interesting to monitor if moves like these backfire on the Lions at any point, or if the NFL addresses these roster maneuvers with rule tweaks in the future.

For the complete Lions 2025 IR summary…

Included are the latest injury updates and analysis for Sione Vaki, Anthony Firkser, and Lawrence Keys as taken from Dan Campbell’s August 4 press conference. Also included are injury news from the August 4 practice regarding Malcolm Rodriguez and Derrick Barnes.

Tate Ratledge, RG #69 - Neck roll

Ratledge started wearing a neck roll in Week 10 of the 2025 season, and he is again sporting the neck roll here in 2026 training camp.

Ratledge showed multiple signs of a possible neck issue last year...

The mechanisms seen on video can cause stingers, and he exhibits arm signs which can be consistent with stingers. Repeated stingers can require some missed time, but have a good long-term prognosis as long as there isn’t an underlying spinal issue.

Ratledge almost certainly had imaging of his neck and spine last year. Since he didn’t miss a game all season, it reassures that the imaging did not show any concerns.

Importantly, the neck roll makes him look super cool…

Cedrick Wilson, WR #86 - Left leg sleeve

Wilson had knee clean-up surgery in 2025, which caused him to miss some games early in the season. It’s possible this leg sleeve is related to that issue.

So far in camp, he has reportedly been looking great. Here is a picture of him making a nice 1-handed snag without the leg sleeve…

Sam LaPorta, TE #87 blocking Levi Onwuzurike, DT #95

Interestingly, here we have 2 players battling each other who have both had lower spine surgeries.

The Lions have started full contact practices and this picture exemplifies the action that over time may have led to LaPorta’s herniated disc issue. Blocking causes hyperextension of the back which puts strain on the lower spine. Based on his symptoms, LaPorta’s likely disc herniation was at L4-L5 or L5-S1.

On the other side is Levi Onwuzurike who has made a remarkable recovery from an L5-S1 fusion in 2022. Currently, Levi is trying to make another successful comeback from a major surgery - an ACL around May of 2025.

Sione Vaki, RB #33 - Before eye injury & nasal fracture

Vaki got hit in the face on August 3 causing a nasal fracture and eye injury as reported by Dan Campbell.

The nasal fracture isn’t a significant long-term concern as many NFL players have even returned to play in the same game. The eye injury likely includes a corneal abrasion which can be painful, but heals quickly within a few days. Expect his next picture to include a cool-looking visor.

Lawrence Keys, WR #80 - Before hamstring strain

According to Dan Campbell, Keys suffered what sounds like a mild hamstring on August 3. Hamstrings are extremely common during camp and a minor one isn’t a concern. Of more concern for Keys is his history of multiple foot injuries in recent years.

Tyleik Williams, DT #91 - Weight loss

Tyleik stated he lost 50 pounds in the offseason. Here he is looking fit and ready to take the 2nd-year bump.

Thomas Harper, S #12

Harper makes a play here which is good to see. It will also be good to see in training camp if he can modify his tackling technique to prevent taking knees to the head like last season.

He suffered 2 concussions in this way last December. If Harper can stay healthy, he could see a lot of starting snaps at safety this season.

Jackson Meeks, TE #13 & Dan Jackson, S #17

Both of these healthy players have an opportunity to shine given the injury issues at their respective positions.

Recently-signed TE Anthony Firkser fractured his fibula on August 3 and has been put on IR. If it’s an isolated fracture without something like a high-ankle sprain, Firkser could be ready to go in about 7 weeks similar to Christian Mahogany last season. Maybe the Lions will waive Firkser with an injury settlement and bring him back later in the season.

Meeks hauling in passes could be a common sight if the Lions TE room can’t get healthy and stay healthy. Similarly on the other side, 2nd-year Dan Jackson has an opening to make an impact in the banged-up safety room. Jackson is looking healthy after an unspecified leg injury in last preseason.

Alim McNeill, DT #54

All indications are that McNeill is looking like a total beast in his second year back from his 2024 ACL. His interior disruption would be a gamechanger for the defense.

Malcolm Rodriguez, LB #44 - Before ankle injury

Rodrigo reportedly left practice on August 4 with an ankle injury. Per Colton Pouncy, he had his left ankle taped and was walking around fine after practice.

Since players will often be placed in a precautionary walking boot for ankle sprains, the fact that he was not in a boot is an excellent sign that this injury is very minor.

Derrick Barnes - Before knee injury

During the August 4 practice, Barnes left early with injury. He told Nolan Bianchi that “it was just a little bit of a knee injury and that he’ll be fine.” Good news here. Barnes was fully healthy last season after recovering from a surgical MCL/PCL knee injury in 2024.

This might not be a good sign for Kitselman who Dan Campbell already stated will be out “for a while.” In other TE injury news, recently-signed Anthony Firkser left practice on August 3 with a leg injury. All this is on top of the existing durability concerns of Sam LaPorta’s spine and Tyler Conklin’s active calf strain.

While Nick Muse hasn’t done much in his NFL career, the Lions’ TE health concerns mean he could get an opportunity for a role here. His medical report looks clean heading into 2026.

For all the free agent medical reports, visit Lions Free Agency 2026 in the navigation bar above.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data includes playoffs & courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Nick Muse, TE (27)

Medical Concern Level: 1/10

• 2024: 4 games played

• 2023: 2 games. Hand injury, to IR.

• 2022: 10 games

• 2019: Right ACL tear

Muse has been a lightly-used TE throughout his NFL career. In 2025, he spent time on various practice squads without playing in a game. There is a remote ACL which isn’t a concern at this point.

Muse has just 1 reception in 16 game appearances in his NFL career.

Here is my read-between-the-lines analysis of some select Dan Campbell quotes.

• 🟢Good news, low concern

• 🟡Uncertain or moderate concern

• 🔴Bad news, high concern

🔴Jimmy Rolder, LB

July 31, 2026: Hamstring, suspected grade 2-3

Projected return: October

This must be a fairly severe hamstring strain to keep this 4th-round rookie out for likely well over a month. Jeff Risdon reported that Rolder is not expected back for the start of the season, which is 6 weeks away.

The good news is it’s not a season-ender. That means he does not need surgery, which would have carried a 6-12 month recovery and definitely ended his season.

Hamstrings have 3 grades with grade 3 being a complete tear or major disruption. Not all grade 3 hamstrings need surgery. I suspect Rolder has a grade 2-3 hamstring similar to DJ Reed’s suspected grade 2-3 last year. Here is Reed’s injury video…

September 28, 2025

Reed returned to play on November 23 - about a 2-month recovery. But he didn’t quite return to form for the rest of the season. Thus, there is a concern that Rolder’s hamstring could have lingering effects on his entire rookie year.

🟡Derrick Moore, EDGE

August 2, 2026: Groin

Projected return: Mid-August

This is not bad news on this 2nd-round rookie. Moore will miss some time which is unfortunate, but should be back to full strength soon. An aggravation is possible, so that will be something to monitor the rest of camp.

It could have been worse. For example, Sione Vaki missed over a month last season with his groin injury.

🟢Blake Miller, OT

August 2, 2026: Unspecified

No details on Miller’s injury from last practice, but it’s nothing serious.

🔴Miles Kitselman, TE

August 2, 2026: Leg

Dan Campbell was ominously curt with Kitselman’s update. There was no reassurance that he’ll be back this season like we heard earlier with Rolder. Kitselman’s medical report shows a pec surgery and possible knee injury in 2025 - with a 4/10 medical concern level as a UDFA.

The Lions TE group already has significant medical concerns with Sam LaPorta’s microdiscectomy recovery and Tyler Conklin’s calf strain. Kitselman had an opening to be a UDFA surprise, so this injury is unfortunate.

Enough with the injury updates. To lighten the mood, here are some recent tweet updates on 2 of our favorite healthy defensive tackles…

For those who missed it, this is in reference to the Detroit Lions social media team post…

Couvade syndrome is where the non-pregnant partner experiences pregnancy signs like weight gain, fatigue, body aches, irritability, and more. Could the Chiefs make history by being the first NFL team to list Couvade on their official injury report this season?

• 🟢Good news

• 🟡Uncertain or moderately concerning

• 🔴Bad news

Let’s start with the 2 new injuries officially reported by the Lions on August 2, 2026. (Practice participation info via Jeremy Reisman’s article.)

🟡Derrick Moore

August 2, 2026: Groin

A groin strain can be anything from a few days to a few weeks. In some cases, a “groin” can actually be a hip injury or a core muscle injury. There are no details yet.

🟡Miles Kitselman, TE

August 2, 2026: Leg

No details here. Hopefully, Kitselman’s leg injury ends up being less severe than Jimmy Rolders’…

🟡Jimmy Rolder, LB

July 31, 2026: Unspecified leg injury

The first report from Jordan Schultz painted a favorable picture stating “he will miss some time, but not major”.

However, Jeff Risdon reported in his Detroit Lions Podcast that Rolder isn’t expected back for Week 1, which is still 6 weeks away. That would mean a multi-month injury and moves Rolder closer to the higher concern range.

If he isn’t going to be ready for Week 1, he becomes a candidate for 1 of the 2 IR-designated-to-return spots at the cutdown date that don’t count against the 53-man roster. If he goes on IR, he must sit out 4 games. Since Rolder already started practicing, he can’t go on PUP to save an IR-return slot.

🟢Jahmyr Gibbs, RB

Gibbs has yet to practice at camp, but was seen milling about on the fields today. Earlier this week when asked about a back issue during Gibb’s conditioning test, Dan Campbell stated: “No, I don’t think it’s severe.”

Ian Rapoport today reported that Gibbs has a “minor injury”. It’s strongly suspected that Gibbs’ minor back injury is related to his wallet...

Nothing a $20M per year contract extension won’t cure.

🟢Alim McNeill, DT

July 31, 2026: Kicked in the head. Listed officially as a neck.

McNeill was back at practice today without issue after saying he was kicked in the head. That’s good news as this would be far from the first time that McNeill has been hit in the head causing injuries.

Here is my video compilation of hits to his head from 2023 to 2024 creating suspicion for a jaw injury…

He also had an diagnosed concussion from his December 5, 2024 hit.

As far as McNeill’s recovery from his December 2024 ACL injury, Dan Campbell had this to say earlier in the week:

This is further evidence that McNeill is poised for a big season in his 2nd year back from the ACL.

🟡Ben Bartch, OG

Bartch was not at practice today for unknown reasons. He missed the entire Lions offseason in recovery from a December 2025 Lisfranc surgery. A Lisfranc can have an unreliable recovery, which was the reason for my 9/10 medical concern level for Bartch as a free agent signing...

If this current absence is related to his Lisfranc, that would be highly concerning 8 months post surgery.

🟡Payton Turner, EDGE

A back issue that may have occurred on the first day of camp on July 28 was not serious according to Dan Campbell. However, Turner is still not back to practice.

His NFL medical history does not inspire confidence in his reliability…

🟢Christian Izien, CB/S

Came off NFI today and returned to practice after a minor “flu”. No issues here.

🟢Christian Mahogany, OG

Mahogany returned to practice on July 31 after just a couple days on NFI. The injury details are still unknown, but residuals seems unlikely.

For the earlier analysis of Giovanni Manu when he curiously went on NFI…

Fortunately, there appears to be decent news on the Rolder front…

However, Jeff Risdon reports in his Detroit Lions Podcast that Rolder is not expected to be ready for the start of the season which is 6 weeks away.

Remember that the Lions also added LB Troy Reeder before training camp, so the Lions have stocked up on veteran LB’s recently.

There was very good news on the other injury from Friday's practice - Alim McNeill’s neck…

Below is the medical report for Devin White. For all the free agent medical reports, visit Lions Free Agency 2026.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data includes playoffs & courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Devin White, LB (28)

Medical Concern Level: 1/10

• 2025: 17/17 games played.

• 2024: 7 games. Ankle injury. Missed time early in season for personal reasons and then released from Eagles to sign with Texans.

• 2023: 16/19 games. Groin injury. Foot injury, missed 3 games.

• 2022: 18 games

• 2021: 19 games

• 2020: 18 games

• 2019: 13 games

This former 5th overall pick in the 2019 draft is trying to resurrect his career at just 28-years-old. He started his career strong making 2nd-team All-Pro in his 2nd season. But he has never reached those heights again since.

The good news is White doesn’t appear to have any significant medical history and he played all 17 games with the Raiders last season. He did miss some time in the 2024 and 2023 seasons though.

Despite the temporary loss of Jimmy Rolder, the Lions LB room appears very solid with Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, and Malcolm Rodriguez. It will be interesting to see how this former elite talent fits in.

For the training camp preview of the Lions LB unit…

Does this say anything about the health of the current TE group which has Sam LaPorta recovering from microdiscectomy and Tyler Conklin dealing with a lingering calf strain?

Always a good thought, but in this case probably not a sign of anything concerning, since it was a swap of the same position.

The health comparison between Horton and Firkser is about even. Zach Horton missed some time in 2026 OTA which could have been a factor in his release, but was otherwise medically clean. Firkser (31) is also clean, but is significantly older than Horton (23).

Below is the medical report for Firkser. For a full breakdown of all the Lions free agents, visit Lions Free Agency Medical Reports.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Anthony Firkser, TE (31)

Medical Concern Level: 2/10

• 2025 (Lions): Played 7 games.

• 2024: 7 games

• 2023 (Lions): 5 games

• 2022: 11 games

• 2021: 15 games

• 2020: 17 games

• 2019: 18 games

• 2018: 12 games

Firkser has had a long, healthy career in the NFL. There are no reports of any significant injuries. The only minor concern is his age.

The Lions are very familiar with him since he has played for them in 2 of the past 3 seasons. He played in all 3 playoff games during the Lions epic 2023 season run to the NFC conference championship game. In 2025 with the Lions, Firkser logged 8 receptions for 53 yards.

If LaPorta has a recurrence of his spine issue or Conklin has setbacks with his calf, Firkser could end up playing important snaps for the Lions in 2026.

For the Lions complete tight end preview entering training camp…

In this short interview in the early days of camp, LaPorta discusses his symptoms and recovery. In it, we gain insight into his timeline, location of injury, and his rehab process.

Video courtesy of @colton_pouncy on X.

LaPorta Spine Surgery Timeline

This confirms the timeline that LaPorta had spine surgery (reported as a microdiscectomy) in November 2025.

LaPorta’s Post-Surgical Concerns

LaPorta highlights one of the concerns with a spinal nerve injury that makes it different from say an ACL, Achilles, or fracture. There is no guarantee that the surgery will fix the symptoms. The spine is a delicate, complex area, and nerves can have an unpredictable recovery.

Fortunately for LaPorta, it sounds like the surgery was successful in alleviating the nerve compression symptoms.

LaPorta Disc Herniation Nerve Symptoms

It was previously unknown the location of his disc herniation. But with knowledge of his symptoms, we now have a good idea of the location of his injury.

LaPorta describes symptoms that affect the muscles of his butt, hamstring, and calf. The motor neurons that serve those areas are in the lumbar to sacral portion of the spine. Thus, LaPorta probably had a disc herniation around L4-L5 or L5-S1. That’s near the bottom of the spine and is a common cause of low back and leg pain.

Below is an illustration of what a disc herniation looks like at the L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels and how it can impinge on the nerve roots…

The knowledge that his disc herniation was low on the spine probably means that his penultimate play of last season where he was hit in the mid-back was not a major factor in his disc injury…

November 9, 2025:

LaPorta Recovery Timeline and Outlook

Prior to OTA’s 2 months ago, I had projected that LaPorta could be a full-go at that time. LaPorta confirms here that he’s been fully active for many months. Thus, his limited work at OTA and minicamp was likely just a precaution.

A microdiscectomy can have a return-to-play in the 3-4 month range. Currently, he is 8 months post surgery. His stated rehab timeline fits the expectations for a microdiscectomy.

LaPorta makes a point to mention that he hasn’t been “hitting” yet. The hitting part will be the big test as that’s what likely caused the disc problem in the first place.

Once he starts repetitive football contact, will his symptoms recur? That is the big question moving forward for LaPorta, and is something the Lions will be monitoring closely all season.

For the injury timeline and initial analysis of LaPorta’s spine injury…

Giovanni Manu placed on NFI list

Well, this wasn’t good news for the Lions’ 2024 4th-round pick. Reading-between-the-lines here suggests that Manu did not disclose a major injury to the Lions. The Lions would not have sent him out to practice with knowledge of a significant injury. He would have been evaluated and placed on NFI prior to the start of camp.

Typically, players need to be placed on PUP/NFI prior to starting training camp practices. Manu actually practiced before being put on NFI. An exception may have been made here if the player did not disclose the injury to the team.

Was Manu trying to hide an injury? Did he get hurt doing something reckless or unapproved? The Lions certainly were asking these questions. The placement on NFI instead of PUP means he was hurt outside of football or football-preparation activities.

The key financial difference between PUP and NFI is that the team can choose not to pay a player’s salary while on NFI. If the Lions are not happy with how this situation played out, I expect them not to pay his salary. This should save a small amount of salary cap space for the team. Manu’s base salary this year is $1.075M.

What are the possibilities of Manu’s injury?

Nothing about Manu’s injury was disclosed except for the 12-14 week timeline. We don’t even know the body part. We do know he was able to get out onto the practice field for a little bit. The possibilities are almost endless, but we can rule out an ACL/Achilles or other very long-term injury.

With this kind of timeline, an impeding surgery becomes a possibility. Some kind of upper limb injury like a biceps, triceps, or elbow are possible. A significant pec strain (Ahmed Hassanein) or hamstring (DJ Reed) can have this kind of timeline. A severe turf toe (Joe Burrow) could do it.

What is the future for Manu and the Lions?

Manu’s play hasn’t panned out after 2 seasons. He had a major knee injury last year that cost him 2+ months. Now, he has another injury that will keep him out 3+ months. He might not be available until November, and might not even be good enough to bring back anyway. Add in a possible loss of trust and it’s easy to foresee the possibility that we won’t see him in a Lions uniform again.

Payton Turner Back Injury

Turner had a chart-topping 10/10 medical concern level when he signed with the Lions this offseason. He has missed major portions of most of his NFL career, including all of the 2025 season. See my Payton Turner Medical Report for full details.

It was reassuring to see Turner healthy and participating throughout OTA and minicamp. Getting hurt on Day 1 of training camp isn’t a great start, but Campbell stated the injury was minor. Hopefully, this is a benign back strain/spasm and he’ll be fine shortly.

The over/under for number of Turner snaps this season might indeed be 3. The team has made a concerted effort this offseason to get younger, healthier, and more reliable. If the Lions decide they can’t count on his health, Turner won’t make the 53-man roster.

For the data on how the Lions got healthier this offseason…

Sam LaPorta Contract Extension Considerations

Love this question from Andy as I find the strategy of contracts to be fascinating. Also, actions (i.e. contracts) always speak more truthfully than words from GM’s, players, coaches, etc.

LaPorta avoided the PUP list, which means he is cleared to participate in training camp. This isn’t a surprise. With his microdiscectomy in November, there was a good chance he was cleared for OTA a couple months ago and was just limited as a precaution.

His clearance doesn’t change the long-term durability concern for the spine. It’s not like an ACL or fractured bone that can heal up back to 100%. With a microdiscectomy, parts of the spine are removed to relieve pressure off the nerves. And the causative factors of the disc herniation problem - like playing a brutal contact sport - are going to still be present. A recurrence of symptoms is very possible if LaPorta continues to play football.

This long-term concern could impact game-to-game availability, in-game snap count percentage, performance, and duties as a tight end. If so, that impacts his value. That makes a top-of-the-market deal more risky from the team perspective.

If I’m running the Lions, I’d like a contract that provides protection in case of a recurrence, poor availability, or early retirement. This can be done by way of:

• fewer guarantees

• more production incentives

• less upfront money

Why would LaPorta agree to this type of team-friendly deal?

• The total potential value of the contract and yearly average might still be top-of-the-market - allowing for the corresponding celebratory agent tweet.

• The Lions have leverage, as the team has him under control for two more seasons because they can tag him after the 2026 season.

• LaPorta may agree that his future health is uncertain, and is happy to lock in some guarantees now.

Lions Injury Prevention Strategy

Agree with BigDahm that the Lions appear to have focused on injury prevention this offseason - by way of improving the youth and health of the roster, and by being cautious in OTA and minicamp. There was really only one significant injury this offseason - Kendrick Law’s ACL.

It will be interesting to see how the team handles training camp and preseason games.

• Will the Lions cut back on the “live” tackling during camp? I explored this idea in an earlier analysis: Detroit Lions training camp injuries: Is “live” tackling worth the risk?

• With no joint practices, will the Lions actually play starters in preseason? Given how woeful the offensive line performed in Week 1 last season vs the Packers, it’s possible we see some OL starters out there. Dan Campbell stated in his opening press conference that playing starters in preseason is on the table.

I agree that these kinds of effort plays are very frustrating. Fighting for that extra yard exposes players to big hits and twisting of limbs. That yard may cost a player multiple games, or even a season.

Your comment reminded me of these two examples from recent seasons…

November 9, 2025:

September 17, 2023:

Sam LaPorta was out for the year after his game, and David Montgomery missed the next game.

There are certainly benefits to fighting for extra yardage. But unless it’s a critical play, the Lions would be wise to remind players through video or drills to stop fighting for that extra yard after being wrapped up.

Here’s the analysis of what he said on each player along with my impression of if his words were..

• 🟢Good news

• 🟡Neutral news

• 🔴Bad news

Campbell also addressed the important question of whether starters would play in preseason, which I will get to at the end.

🟢Brian Branch (PUP)

December 4, 2025: Achilles rupture

Let’s start with the best news of the day, which was better than expected. Dan Campbell said there is a chance that Branch could return to practice in late August or early September. That’s a big deal because the NFL cutdown-to-53 day is August 30. In order to practice, he needs to come off the PUP list.

• If Branch comes off PUP before August 30, he would be eligible to play as soon as Week 1 vs the Saints.

• If Branch moves to reserve/PUP on August 30, he must miss the first 4 games of the season. Earliest return to play would be Week 5, October 11 vs the Cardinals.

My previous expectation was he would move to reserve/PUP. But now, it looks like there is a realistic chance that he beats those expectations.

🟢Christian Mahogany (Non-Football Injury)

An NFI designation can be anything from very minor to very severe - see Josh Paschal’s NFI back issue from last year that cost him the entire season. Mahogany has landed on the very minor side of the spectrum which is excellent news.

There were no details on the actual injury yet.

🟡Kerby Joseph (PUP)

~July 2025: Left knee

Dan Campbell was visibly crossing his fingers during the last part of the quote. This was not an encouraging update from Dan Campbell, but also is in-line with what we’ve seen over the past year.

It’s not a favorable sign that Kerby is just starting to do change-of-direction drills 8 months after his last practice in December. Delaying the full stress testing of the knee until the last possible moment seems to be the plan here.

The big revelation was that Kerby is not expected back for Week 1. The plan may be for him to return mid-late season and have his knee mileage available for the playoffs… if the Lions get there.

🟡Tyler Conklin (PUP)

Conklin missed the final days of OTA and all of the 2-day minicamp in early-mid June. Not sure if June counts as “spring” or not to Dan Campbell.

A spring onset (April?) would imply that this calf has been lingering for many months. (The Lions signed Conklin as a free agent in mid-March.) It’s possible he aggravated a pre-existing calf issue during OTA.

Calf muscle strains can get aggravated easily, but will heal up just fine eventually. The bigger concern is the small risk of a calf strain escalating into an Achilles rupture. Thus, precaution is wise, and I expect the Lions to take things very slow and gradual throughout camp.

Recall Ifeatu Melifonwu who had a suspected Achilles strain in the 2024 preseason that lingered all the way into November.

🟢Christian Izien (Non-Football Illness)

Just a “flu bug” for Izien. This was expected, but still good to hear that it wasn’t an unusual long-term issue like Christian Mahogany’s mono from 2024.

Could the starters play in preseason?

The decision whether to play the starters in preseason may come down to how many injuries the Lions sustain throughout camp. If the Lions are losing players in camp, then Campbell may not want to risk any further injuries in a preseason game.

If the Lions stay very healthy, then Campbell may have chips on the table that he is willing to gamble on during preseason.

To help the team stay healthy through camp, Campbell could consider cutting back on the live tackling…

The NFI functions similarly to PUP, but with these important differences:

• The injury was not related to football, or activities/treatments related to getting ready for football. This opens up the possibility that the player was doing something he wasn’t supposed to be doing.

Which brings up the second important difference:

• The team does not have to pay the player’s salary while on NFI.

Thus, the NFI means there is the potential for a rift between the team and the player.

Last year, the only Lion on NFI was Josh Paschal due to a back surgery. He ended up not playing the entire season, and has since been released.

It’s important to note that Mahogany was labeled as a “Non-Football Injury” whereas Izien was labeled as a “Non-Football Illness”. Let’s break it down…

(As always, you can visit the IR/PUP/NFI tracker anytime in the navigation bar above.)

Christian Mahogany (Non-Football Injury)

Mahogany was fully present and active at OTA and minicamp last month, so it’s a surprise to see him go on NFI.

This will be the second time in his 3-year career that he’s been on NFI. In 2024, he missed all of camp and the first month of the regular season with infectious mononucleosis complications.

The difference this time is he’s labeled an injury and not an illness… ruling out repeat mono, which would be very unlikely anyway due to immunity.

His previous medical history looks like this:

• 2025: Left fibula fracture, missed 6 games

• 2024: Wore right knee brace all season

• 2022: Right ACL

Since Mahogany is on NFI, the current injury should not be related to any of those previous injuries. Something likely happened after the end of minicamp on June 17.

Christian Izien (Non-Football Illness)

An “illness” is almost always of minimal concern for NFL players as they are young, healthy, and physically fit. Two of the most common possible diagnoses are acute respiratory infection or gastroenteritis (stomach flu). Maybe he got into some of that Taco Bell lettuce.

Expect Izien to come off the NFI list pretty quickly. Although, as seen with Mahogany in 2024, you just never know.

Here was the summary of last year’s PUP/NFI list…

For the analysis of the Lions 2026 PUP list…

Sometimes however, these late additions are in response to a new injury issue to the existing group. There have been no reports of an injury to the LB unit and the pre-camp medical preview was mostly favorable and without active issues…

So let’s keep our fingers crossed for no bad news in the next couple days.

Below is the medical report for Troy Reeder. For a full breakdown of all the 2026 Lions free agents, visit my Free Agency link in the navigation bar above.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Troy Reeder, LB (32)

Medical Concern Level: 2/10

• 2025: 20/20 games played.

• 2024: 6 games played. Hamstring injury ended his season.

• 2023: 17 games

• 2022: 18 games

• 2021: 21 games

• 2020: 16 games

• 2019: 16 games

Advancing age is really the only concern here, as he turns 32 on the day of the season-opener vs the Saints in Week 1.

Reeder has shown excellent availability throughout his 7-year career, although a large percentage of that has been on special teams. Last year with the Rams, he had 328 special teams snaps and 81 defensive snaps.

A hamstring injury in 2024 isn’t much of a concern after a full season of proof of recovery. The actual severity of the hamstring is unknown, and I didn’t find any reports of a surgery for it. He missed the rest of the season after Game 6, but that could have been due to production (coach’s decision) reasons.