Lions trade 2028 (update) 2029 6th-rounder for safety Andre Cisco

Cisco is on a 1-year contract, which makes him a short-term rental. Why would the Lions do this with a healthy Brian Branch, Chuck Clark, and Keith Abney on the roster, and with Kerby Joseph and Thomas Harper (ankle) possibly able to return?

While a late-rounder two three years from now seems like a small price, it’s still something. As a lifelong fan, I’m generally against short-term rentals as I have a long-range outlook for the team. However, if Cisco ends up playing a lot of defensive snaps or even taking a starting role, then it could absolutely be worth it.

The trade might signal bad news for Harper’s ankle, which might be a recurring issue since training camp. Sometimes a tricky Achilles injury is listed as an “ankle”.

More interestingly, what does the trade say about the expectations for Kerby Joseph?

The Lions’ expectations for Kerby have likely been low for a long time, given that he hasn’t played in 13 months and didn’t even open his practice window until midway through this season. If the Lions had high expectations, they would have had him testing things out in the offseason or training camp.

The Lions’ actions show that they are just hoping he can play half a season at best. News dropped today that he is out until Week 11 at least…

Kerby Joseph OUT Week 10 vs the Patriots

Dan Campbell stated on 97.1 today that Kerby is already ruled out for this Sunday in Germany vs. the Patriots. It’s an unusual practice week for the Lions as they are traveling to Germany after Thursday’s practice, although I doubt that was a determining factor.

What is the timeline and outlook for Kerby at this point?

Today is Day 14 of Kerby’s practice window (opened on October 28). That means he will definitely use up his entire 21-day window. At the end of the window, he will need to be activated to the 53-man roster or be out for the season. Just because he is activated to the roster does NOT necessarily mean he will play. He can simply be one of the inactives on gameday until he is ready.

The earliest I would expect Kerby to play is Thanksgiving vs. the Bears. I don’t expect him to play four days prior vs. the Bucs due to the short turnaround.

There remains the realistic possibility that a setback occurs and he does not play this season. All it might take is one hard cut in practice or one wrong hit to the knee for his chronic issue to become aggravated… and his season (and possibly career) to be deemed unsalvageable.

For a recent mailbag Q&A explaining Kerby’s suspected knee cartilage issue, visit…

Jack Campbell states he is determined to play football again

Over the weekend, there were a couple interesting reports regarding Jack’s recovery. Here are my thoughts.

What to make of Jack saying that he’s planning to return to football?

Is there any credence to this report that Jack could return this season?

Sam LaPorta Contract Extension Update

The trade deadline passed and Sam LaPorta is still with the Lions. There isn’t much question that Sam is an elite TE, and the Lions have proven to have no issue with rewarding their elite players with top-of-the-market deals. The likely holdup is a 2025 spine injury - herniated disc with microdiscectomy surgery - that carries a concerning recurrence rate of around 5-15%.

The Lions will want to protect themselves from a salary cap standpoint in case there is a recurrence. If LaPorta ends up signing an extension, it will be interesting to see how the contract is structured. I’m not opposed to extending LaPorta, but would like the contract to protect the Lions to some degree.

I discussed the contract considerations in an earlier Lions Mailbag…

The stadium experience for the Lions-Dolphins game was enjoyable - look for a comprehensive review of the stadium in a future article. I was able to make it back to the hotel in plenty of time to see the insane Bears vs Bucs Sunday Night game, featuring an electric performance by Caleb Williams early… followed by four interceptions later.

His MVP live odds probably resembled the Millennium Force coaster at Cedar Point - a ride I survived many times in my youth…

I’m too old for those kinds of thrills these days. This is my kind of Victory Monday…

The Lions vs Dolphins Postgame Injury Report is delayed as I haven’t had a chance to watch the TV copy yet. At the game, I saw Roger McCreary jog off the field while holding his right hip area in the second quarter. Otherwise, the game looked clean for the Lions. (I have some observations on Christian Mahogany’s health below.)

Readers on Twitter/X offered their observations, which confirmed that the game was generally clean…

Please add any of your observations in the comments.

Leave a comment

Dan Campbell Updates

Dan had a press conference today offering these health updates…

Kerby Joseph status

“He did a good job last week, so we want to get him some more work.”

Dan was very curt here, which doesn’t bestow optimism that Kerby will play this Sunday in Germany. Kerby is still in the gradual ramp-up, after having not played in a game in 13 months. Whether he gets a chance at a FP (full practice) this week is uncertain.

DJ Wonnum & DJ Reed availability this week

“Hard to say. They’ve improved from last week. The question is, can we get them there in time? I don’t have that answer right now.”

Wonnum (concussion) and Reed (hip) did not go on IR, which was great news. Dan’s reasonably optimistic response here also implies something short-term. Hopefully, we see at least a LP (limited practice) this week.

Lions vs Dolphins Week 9 Snap Counts

• 🔴Bad news or high concern

• 🟡Uncertain or moderately concerning

• 🟢Good news or low concern

OFFENSE

🔴Christian Mahogany saw no offensive snaps due to a “disciplinary” issue. For him to be benched, it likely means this is not the first issue he’s had. Almost certainly, he’s been punished before behind-the-scenes, and it has now escalated to a public issue. That’s an ominous sign for his future. From a health standpoint, I noticed him getting up slowly and limping two weeks ago vs the Packers. Against the Dolphins, he still appeared to be labored while jogging around on the field during his special teams snaps. He’s never been the most fluid athlete, but it’s possible his benching is somehow related to his labored appearance recently. A conditioning or effort problem could fit the overlapping Venn diagram.

🟡Sam LaPorta (90%) continues to see a high percentage of snaps. His back has held up very well so far, as he hasn’t even needed to take rest days during the week.

🟢Amon-Ra St. Brown (75%) has been dinged up with ribs, left knee, and ankle injuries in the past two weeks. He looked good during the game though. His snap count is in a nice range, and he remains very productive.

🟡Jahmyr Gibbs (68%) is finally getting into that safe, healthy range. The emergence of Sione Vaki (32%) has helped tremendously. However, Gibbs still got the vast majority of touches with 21 to Vaki’s 5. Maybe Vaki’s ankle injury a couple days prior in practice was a factor.

DEFENSE

🟢Brian Branch (100%) is back to his typical snap count load - great news for his health. But I still think some rotation of secondary players has value. Last year, an accumulation of injuries may have led to his Achilles rupture…

🟢Roger McCreary (98%) had a foot injury a couple weeks ago, which may have caused a slight dip in his snap count last week. He’s back to full-time now.

🟢Aidan Hutchinson (89%) dropped into the 80’s which is a good start. Low 80’s or even 70’s would be ideal.

🟢Alim McNeill (79%) in the 70’s is an excellent range.

🟢Rock Ya-Sin (67%) was back to a starting role. He had a hamstring issue in Week 4 and 5. There were no cramps for him this game, which is a nice improvement for him. He was listed with cramps during the practice week, and suffered cramps multiple times last season.

🟢Derrick Moore (58%) continues to get more snaps and picked up two sacks. If he can become a playmaker on defense, that’s a gamechanger for the whole team.

🟡Ennis Rakestraw (35%) bounced back up from his 2% last week. He’s been dealing with a left ankle sprain the past 2-3 weeks. On one of his plays where he got beat, he didn’t look as fluid with his legs as he typically does. The ankle, which was originally injured in camp, may still be an issue.

🟡Keith Abney (11%) lost snaps due to Branch’s return. For the long term, it would be nice to see Abney take some of Chuck Clark’s snaps. Or have Branch play more nickel snaps.

Long-time NFL special-teamer, Amen Ogbongbemiga, is one of them. He has been with the Lions since early August and has appeared in five games this season - all snaps coming on special teams.

This Sunday against the Dolphins, Amen may see his first action on defense this year. He suffered a toe injury last game, but that looks to be minor, as he is cleared to play.

For the full roster health overview, visit my Lions Injury Tracker.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (🟢low) to 5 (🟡moderate) to 10 (🔴high).

(Age in parentheses is 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.)

Amen Ogbongbemiga, LB (28)

🟡Medical Concern Level: 5/10

• 2026: Toe injury, no missed time.

• 2025: 9 games. Shoulder injury, no missed time. Started year on IR with knee injury, missed 8 games. Missed 1 game with hamstring, and 1 game with concussion.

• 2024: 17 games

• 2023: 15 games

• 2022: 18 games

• 2021: 15 games

Ogbongbemiga displayed excellent reliability in his first four seasons. However, last season saw him banged up with multiple injuries to various body parts. The most concerning residual moving forward is the unspecified knee injury that cost him about two months of the season.

This year, after appearing in five games all on special teams, he’s dealing with a toe injury. At this point, the toe appears to be a short-term, minor issue that won’t cause missed time.

The multitude of injuries in the past two seasons along with an age in the late 20s raise reliability concerns.

With only 3 starts on defense in his career and most of his action coming on special teams, Amen hasn’t had the opportunity to log many stats. In his NFL career (including this season with the Lions), he has totaled 0 interceptions, 0 forced fumbles, 1 pass defense, 2 sacks, 3 QB hits, and 70 total tackles.

Devin White and Joe Bachie are two other Lions linebackers contending for a significantly increased role. Devin White is currently recovering from a forearm fracture but should be ready to play in about three weeks. Here were their medical reports at the time of signing…

For the latest on Jack Campbell, who is still at the forefront of all our minds, visit yesterday’s story…

There were three other Lions who suffered injuries last game and are out vs Miami - DJ Reed, Cade Mays, and DJ Wonnum. Since they all logged NPs (no practice) the entire week, that puts them on IR-watch for the weekend. However, based on injury video and signals during the week, it would be a surprise for any of them to go on IR.

Lions vs Dolphins Final Injury Report

• 🔴”Out”

• 🟡”Questionable”

• 🟢”In”

• * Current starter. FP=full practice, LP=limited practice, NP=no practice

DETROIT LIONS (open -7, current -7)

🔴 *Jack Campbell, LB - Cervical spinal cord

Campbell will go on IR soon. I gave reasons in my Week 9 initial injury report why the Lions may be delaying the transaction. At this point, respect for Jack may be the primary reason. Neurological progress is going well, but he’s still definitely out for the season.

🔴 *DJ Reed, CB - Hip

The full week of NPs is somewhat concerning, as it increases the possibility of a long-term injury. There are still no details of his injury yet. I’m still hoping it’s just a painful hip pointer contusion.

🔴 *Cade Mays, C - Left low-ankle sprain

Reports confirm a low-ankle sprain for Mays. It’s hard to see, but there is a mild inversion on video. It doesn’t look severe on video, so hopefully it is indeed mild and Mays can be ready for next week.

🔴 *DJ Wonnum, EDGE - Concussion

Wonnum looked in bad shape immediately after suffering his concussion, as he needed to be carted off. Based on recent history of Lions concussions, there is a good chance he’s ready within the next two games. An LP early next week would be a great sign.

🔴 *Kerby Joseph, S - Left knee

Here is a practice video of Kerby from Thursday, via @colton_pouncy on X…

Kerby is wearing a full left leg sleeve, which isn’t necessarily a concern. I’d rather see a full leg sleeve than just a knee sleeve, as it makes it more likely to be just a precautionary or “comfort” thing. If there is any swelling in the knee joint, that is a bad sign that signifies further damage.

The video shows controlled drills, so it’s still not a test of actually playing a sport, where you need to make unexpected, reactionary, sudden movements - the kind of action that is more difficult to compensate for with the healthy leg. With drills, the knee also might not be taking contact from other players or banging against the ground.

Lions safety coach Jim O'Neil stated that Kerby did his first team practice on Thursday. It’s a good early sign that Kerby has had six straight LPs.

The FP watch begins next week. If he can get through an FP without the knee flaring up, then we can start thinking about a return to a game. Is it possible Kerby could play without ever getting up to an FP? Yes, I think limiting him to LPs is a legitimate strategy. Limiting mileage on the knee may be the best (or only) way to get him through multiple games in a row.

🟡 Sione Vaki, RB - Ankle

Projection: In

Vaki was a surprise listing on Friday after being unlisted prior. There are no details on his injury yet, but there are favorable signs:

• A questionable listing implies a short-term injury compared to doubtful or out. Lions questionables have played 6 of 7 times this season, and at a 78% rate last season, thus the odds are good for Vaki on Sunday.

• Since Vaki was unlisted on Thursday, then had an NP on Friday, that suggests he got through Thursday’s entire practice without any issue. He could not have hurt himself in Friday’s practice because he did not practice. A good possibility is that he felt soreness or other minor issue after Thursday’s practice, and was held out on Friday to rest up.

🟡 Jacob Saylors, RB - Neck

Projection: Lean in

Saylors had presumably the same neck issue entering last game and played, which implies something minor. A full week of LPs is a pretty good sign that he’ll be available again.

🟡 *Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR - Rib

Projection: In

Amon-Ra hurt his ribs on this play last game, but played through. A rib cartilage injury or even a fracture is a possibility.

ARSB has acted confident all week that he’s going to play. While you can’t totally trust what a player says publicly, I trust St. Brown here given his long history of toughness and reliability. The full week of LPs is also very reassuring.

🟢 *Brian Branch, S - Concussion

Branch made a quick recovery from his concussion and is in. Assuming there is no mystery, last-minute “illness” like in 2024, Branch will have a return-to-play in seven days. That would be the quickest regular season return from a concussion for the Lions in the past four seasons. Jabari Small returned in seven days this preseason.

🟢 Amen Ogbongbemiga, LB - Toe

Amen has been exclusively on special teams this year with the Lions. With the LB injuries to Jack and Jimmy Rolder, Amen will likely see some defensive snaps in Miami.

I didn’t see his injury during the game. TV broadcasts don’t care about special teamers, so it’s rare to get a replay of an injury. Fortunately, the toe injury is minor.

🟢 Rock Ya-Sin, CB - Cramps

Cramps is a curious listing. Ya-Sin had FPs all week, so it’s not like he was limited. Plenty of players have minor injuries that don’t get listed, so I’m mystified here. Last year, DJ Reed was also listed with cramps heading into Week 4.

Notables Unlisted

🔴Jimmy Rolder, LB - Placed on IR this week for a severe hamstring injury that may require surgery. The timeline for hamstring surgery is extremely variable due to the many possibilities, but expect a 6-12 month recovery.

🟢Ennis Rakestraw, CB - Rakestraw injured his left ankle in Week 7 and only played 1 defensive snap in Week 8. Was his limited action due to his injury? We’ll probably find out more on Sunday.

🔴Devin White, LB - With the loss of Campbell and Rolder, White could figure prominently down the stretch. He suffered a left forearm fracture on October 11 and is on IR. He can first open his practice window after the Week 10 game on November 15, which is five weeks post injury. There is a good chance that indeed happens based on recent history.

• In 2025, Daniel Thomas opened his window five weeks after his forearm fracture.

• In 2024, Alex Anzalone opened his window six weeks after his forearm fracture.

White should be ready to play in a game around Thanksgiving.

Here is a post-op picture of White’s forearm…

Visit my Lions IR/PUP/NFI Tracker for Devin White and the overall look at the injured lists.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Notables Only

🟢 *Kadyn Proctor, OG

This 1st-round rookie (who the Lions may have been targeting for a trade-up in the draft) missed the last game with this concussion, but is ready to go.

Notables Unlisted

🔴*De’Von Achane, RB - This playmaking RB tore his ACL in Week 3 and is on IR.

Jack Campbell Statement - November 4, 2026

The key quote is:

“I have full movement in my lower body, and I’m continuing to make progress with movement in my upper body.”

At his press conference on November 4, Dan Campbell added this detail:

“The status is changing every 8 hours, 10 hours in a good way.”

This is very good news that Jack has made significant, consistent progress in the first three days.

Summary of Jack Campbell Spine Injury

Based on the injury videos and public statements:

• Jack initially suffered a total paralysis of his arms and legs due to an injury to the cervical area of the spinal cord.

• There has been steady recovery of his neurological symptoms in the hours and days since the injury.

• Three days later, his lower body (legs) has recovered fully. His arms have recovered partially, as there are still motor deficits.

I consulted with my long-time friend and neurosurgeon Dr. Samuel Hughes regarding this case. Much of the following information is based on our discussion, with certain details locked due to their potentially sensitive nature.

What could be the diagnosis?

The diagnosis for Jack’s injury almost certainly includes Central Cord Syndrome (CCS), which occurs when the central portion of the spinal cord is damaged. Here is a visualization of the spinal cord with the red circle being the location of damage…

CCS causes motor impairment more so in the arms than the legs. That’s because the nerves that control the arms are more in the center of the spinal cord, while the nerves that control the legs are more on the periphery. This results in a cape-like distribution of symptoms…

A syndrome is just a constellation of symptoms. Something caused the syndrome to happen…

What can cause Central Cord Syndrome (CCS)?

• Pre-existing cervical stenosis or spondylosis.

• Acute injury like spine fracture, disc herniation, spine ligament injury, or spine dislocation.

• Lack of blood flow to the spinal cord, such as what can happen in Surfer’s myelopathy. The center of the spinal cord is more susceptible to a lack of blood flow than the peripheral portions of the cord.

Was there a pre-existing spinal issue with Jack?

What is being done for Jack at the hospital right now?

Is surgery a possibility?

The benefits of surgery are controversial with CCS. The MRI/CT findings are key to determining if there is a structural defect that might be correctable.

At this point, surgery may not actually help Jack’s recovery, which is progressing well. If surgery is done in the future, its primary purpose would probably be to prevent future injury.

What are the chances of a full recovery?

The prognosis for CCS is generally good. There is a good chance of a full recovery or close to it. He may not get back to exactly 100% though, as there can be residual numbness or weakness in the hands or arms.

How long might recovery take?

Symptoms can actually worsen before they improve, but with Jack, the symptoms were already likely at their peak immediately with paralysis of upper and lower limbs.

There has already been significant recovery for Jack, as he has regained full motor function of his legs. With a spinal cord injury, early improvement portends later improvement. That’s good news for Jack.

Significant recovery over the next 1-2 months is likely, but the recovery process can still continue for years.

What is Jack’s likelihood of playing football again?

Jack Campbell Expanded Injury Timeline

Some of these videos and information have been posted on my previous stories, but for convenience and clarity, I’m including them here.

November 1, 2026

Seven plays prior to final play:

It’s subtle, but Jack is slightly slow getting up here and appears to have been hurt. He is seen flexing his head down towards the ground immediately after the tackle. No other prior plays stood out when I reviewed the tape.

The six intermediate plays:

The intermediate plays leading up to the final play all look very benign. Jack does not display any obvious disability or weakness.

The last play in this sequence is the most concerning for head trauma as he dives towards the ground on a tackle, but it appears most if not all of the contact is to his shoulder. There is a chance his helmet may have slightly hit the ground but it’s hard to say from this angle. He pops up immediately displaying no compromise.

Final play including on-field management:

Jack is hit in the facemask and immediately goes limp. There is no sign of movement in arms or legs after this.

In these pictures, you can see the Lions head trainer palpating the cervical spine to check for issues like anatomic deformity. Medical does an excellent job here immediately evaluating for a spine injury. Both Jack Campbell and Dan Campbell have gone out of their way to praise the medical staff’s management of the injury.

In my previous articles on Jack Campbell, including the immediate postgame injury report, I analyzed the possibility of an antecedent or incipient injury seven plays earlier. For the complete analysis, visit…

Here is a summary of my thoughts…

Theory of Incipient Injury

A theory is an idea that needs to be proven or disproven. Based on logic and probabilities, I’m theorizing that Jack had an incipient injury seven plays prior, that culminated in temporary paralysis.

Here is the logic:

• The mechanism of the final play with a heads-up tackle and hit to the facemask is extremely unlikely to cause a spinal cord injury.

• The mechanism of the earlier play (7 plays prior) of a head-down tackle and hit to the crown of the helmet is what typically causes a spinal cord injury due to compression of the spine.

• Lions fans like me who have watched every play of Jack’s NFL career (usually more than once) know what Jack typically looks like after a tackle. On the suspicious earlier play, he displayed a short, subtle sign of discomfort after making the tackle, suggesting he had been hurt. Many Lions fans picked up on this immediately.

How to prove or disprove the theory?

Jack would have a lot of insight here. On the earlier play, if he indeed felt neck pain or any neurological symptoms to his extremities like tingling, weakness, or pain, then that would support the theory of an incipient injury.

Why might knowledge of an incipient injury be important to Jack?

If Jack has insight into an incipient injury, his experience could help educate future players (and medical staff) as to when a player should get pulled for evaluation… before that final catastrophic event happens.

In the meantime, as Dan Campbell sagely stated today in his press conference:

Due to the season-ending losses of Jack Campbell and Jimmy Rolder, the Lions announced three linebacker moves today:

Lions vs Dolphins Initial Injury Report

Note: Lions had walkthrough today

• 🔴No practice (NP)

• 🟡Limited practice (LP)

• 🟢Full practice (FP)

• * Current starter

DETROIT LIONS (open -7, current -7)

🔴 *Jack Campbell, LB - Cervical spinal cord

Many have wondered about Jack’s delayed placement on IR. There are a couple possible reasons.

1. Historically, the Lions have often delayed IR placement for players clearly headed for IR. Unless a roster spot needs to be cleared, there is no urgency to put a player immediately on IR. From my recollection, the player is always put on IR before the next game though.

2. The Lions may be waiting out of respect for Jack and his family, and to avoid turning Jack immediately into a business “transaction”.

There is zero chance that Jack is returning to football this season, so hope for a return is not a reason for the delay. I expect the Lions to put Jack on IR sometime before Sunday.

🔴 *DJ Reed, CB - Hip

Projection: Lean out

The NP is somewhat concerning as it increases the possibility of a long-term injury. There are still no details of his injury yet. Still hoping it’s just a painful contusion.

🔴 *Cade Mays, C - Left ankle

Projection: Uncertain

No details of Mays injury yet. If this is a low-ankle sprain, he may see an LP tomorrow.

🔴 *DJ Wonnum, EDGE - Concussion

Projection: Out

Wonnum displayed obvious, significant concussion symptoms on video and needed to be carted off. He probably gets at least a week off.

🟡 *Brian Branch, S - Concussion

Projection: In

The LP is an excellent early sign that Branch may pass through the 5-step concussion protocol in plenty of time for Sunday. In 2024, Branch was poised to play in the next game following his concussion, but an “illness” kept him out.

🟡 Jacob Saylors, RB - Neck

Projection: In

The LP today further corroborates that this neck issue is nothing serious. He has injured this neck each of the past two games.

🟡 *Kerby Joseph, S - Left knee

Projection: Out

Joseph is still early in the ramp-up stage, as this is just his fourth practice. At some point, he probably needs to get an FP to play, but it might not happen this week. Even if he gets an FP this week, I still don’t expect him to play in Miami (as Dan Campbell already confirmed earlier this week.)

🟡 Amen Ogbongbemiga, LB - Toe

Projection: Uncertain

Amen has been exclusively on special teams this year with the Lions. I don’t have video of Amen’s injury, and special teams injuries are notoriously hard to find. With the LB injuries, he may be pressed into action on defense if he’s healthy.

🟡 *Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR - Rib

Projection: In

In my Week 8 postgame report, I expressed concern for a shoulder or rib injury on this play where he was slow getting up…

Turns out he did indeed injure his ribs. A rib cartilage injury is a possibility. The LP is reassuring.

ARSB also had a wrap on his left knee during the last game. It’s good to see the knee is not on the report, although there is no requirement by the team to list every injured body part.

🟢 Rock Ya-Sin, CB - Cramps

Projection: In

Ya-Sin is no stranger to cramps, as he had multiple cramping issues last season. Here is one example from last year…

Notables Unlisted

🔴Jimmy Rolder, LB - Placed on IR this week for a severe hamstring injury that may require surgery. Hamstring surgery is not overly common, but the Lions’ Michael Badgley in 2024 had hamstring surgery. The timeline for hamstring surgery is extremely variable due to the many possibilities, but expect a 6-12 month recovery.

🟢*Jahmyr Gibbs, RB - Suspected right AC joint sprain the past two games. It’s good that Gibbs is unlisted.

🟢Ennis Rakestraw, CB - Rakestraw injured his left ankle in Week 7 and only played 1 defensive snap in Week 8.

🟢*Roger McCreary, CB - A foot injury had him listed as questionable for the last game, but he played. Looks like a very minor issue.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Notables Only

🟢 *Kadyn Proctor, OG

This 1st-round rookie (who the Lions may have been targeting for a trade-up in the draft) missed the last game with this concussion. His FP today means he is on track to play.

Notables Unlisted

🔴*De’Von Achane, RB - This electrifyingly fast RB tore his ACL in Week 3 and is on IR.

Programming note: I’ll be taking my talents (admittedly meager) to South Beach in the coming days, so my articles may look different during that time. I won’t have the typical injury video breakdowns, but will report anything notable I see at the game. Follow me on Twitter/X @JimmyLiaoMD for updates. I’ll do my best to help bring home a W.

Let’s start with the Week 8 snap counts analysis and then get to Dan Campbell’s updates on the radio today… sandwiched around a 1984 retrospective.

Lions vs Vikings Week 8 Snap Counts

DEFENSE

The Lions played very few snaps in total on defense in this game, so that is something to keep in mind.

🟡Aidan Hutchinson’s 50 snaps would tie him for the third-lowest of his 2025 season. However, his percentage (94%) remains sky high compared to his peers. Here was my analysis heading into this season…

🟢Alim McNeill is right where I want him to be at 75% - not overworked. I’d like Hutch in this range also.

🟢Derrick Moore’s snaps continue to rise, as he hit his season peak of 42%. While he hasn’t made a huge impact yet, he appears to be getting close.

🔴Ennis Rakestraw (2%) took a massive dip compared to two weeks ago when he was at 48%. He suffered a left ankle sprain in the game prior, which I’m suspecting to be the explanation. He had been playing very well, so a benching seems unlikely.

🔴Jimmy Rolder (32%) got his most action of the season and was looking great, until a severe hamstring ended his game and his season.

🟢Roger McCreary (77%) entered the game questionable with a foot injury, but looked very good out there. His snaps may have dipped due to the injury, as he had played 100% in the previous game.

🟢Rock Ya-Sin (45%) has been on a roller coaster this year after being a starter in Week 1, a special-teamer in Week 4, missing Week 5 due to a hamstring, and now rising up the depth chart again. With the uncertainty of DJ Reed’s hip and Rakestraw’s ankle, Ya-Sin may be a starter again in Week 9.

OFFENSE

🟡Amon-Ra St. Brown (72%) may have been slightly limited by a left knee. He also had an unspecified ankle injury in the previous game. These are things to watch as the season wears on.

🔴Sam LaPorta (93%) continues to play a very high percentage this season coming off his microdiscectomy surgery.

🟢Tyler Conklin (31%) played by far his most snaps of the season.

🟢Sione Vaki (28%) saw his most extensive action of the year and looked fantastic. He finished with 11 carries for 65 yards (5.9 Y/A), and 1 reception. Hopefully, he can continue to steal touches from Gibbs.

🟡Jahmyr Gibbs appeared to have injured his right AC joint in each of the past two games. His snaps dipped to a much more prudent level (76% vs 90% last week), but he still tacked on another 25 touches. How does this rate historically? Read on…

Detroit Lions 1984 Team

Jahmyr Gibbs currently has 191 touches and is on pace for 464 touches for the entire season. That final number would place second in NFL history behind James Wilder in 1984. So I decided to take a look back at what the Lions looked like that year.

• The Lions were coached by Monte Clark and finished 4-11-1, 4th in the NFC Central.

• The primary Lions quarterback of my youth was Eric Hipple. In 1984, Hipple played in eight games and started one. The starter for most of the year was Gary Danielson, who finished with 3076 passing yards, 17 TD, and 15 INT.

• The leading rusher was Billy Sims, who ran for 687 yards in eight games. This was the year he tore his ACL, ending a potential Hall-of-Fame career.

• The leading receiver for the Lions was Leonard Thompson with 50 receptions for 773 yards. The NFL leader was Roy Green, who had 78 receptions for 1555 yards.

• The Lions sack leader was William Gay with 10.

• Eddie Murray was the Lions kicker. He made 20 of 27 kicks.

• The highest grossing movie was Beverly Hills Cop, featuring a cop from Detroit who goes to southern California and makes a big mark…

Maybe in three months, a football team from Detroit (Lions) will go to southern California (SoFi Stadium) and make a big mark (Super Bowl LXI).

Dan Campbell Injury Updates

Dan was on 97.1 The Ticket this morning and had comments on many players. For most of the injury videos, visit my Lions vs Vikings Postgame Report. Here are Dan’s quotes along with my analysis.

Jack Campbell - Spine

This is the same message that we heard yesterday from Dan, which suggests Jack has a favorable prognosis but is not out-of-the-woods yet. It sounds like there are still neurological symptoms, but the symptoms are improving.

Dan has used the terms “good news” and “positive” many times over the past two days, which is reassuring. Hopefully, we get some really good, concrete news within the next few days.

Jimmy Rolder - Hamstring

Yesterday, Dan said that Rolder was out for the season with a hamstring that might need surgery. The Lions put Rolder on IR today and the Lions IR/PUP/NFI Tracker has been updated.

Here is Rolder’s injury video…

Rolder is seen rushing off the right edge and just goes down. Initially, he attempts to get up, but then is seen on the ground struggling. This was the same play as Jack’s injury, so seeing Rolder on the ground caused understandable confusion for many viewers.

Cade Mays - Ankle

Mays appeared to have a left ankle sprain on video. There was no good replay, but the video gave hope that this was a best-case scenario of a low-ankle sprain.

Overall, the signs are reassuring that Mays’ ankle is not a long-term issue. If it is indeed a low-ankle sprain, then he has a chance to play on Sunday in Miami.

Kerby Joseph - Left knee

This was expected news for Joseph. Last week, Dan described his ramp-up as in the “infancy” stage. I expect a slow, gradual ramp-up to monitor for any signs of pain or swelling in the knee.

If all goes well, Kerby’s target game may be November 15 vs the Patriots or November 26 (Thanksgiving) vs the Bears. I would not expect his first game to be on November 22 vs the Bucs due to the short turnaround.

For Kerby’s initial injury timeline, visit this story…

Brian Branch & DJ Wonnum - Concussion

Here are the 5 phases of the concussion protocol that Dan is referencing:

Return to play (RTP) from concussion is dependent on how quickly a player moves through the 5 phases. Additionally, RTP for any injury is dependent on importance of game and importance of player. The fact that the Lions are playing a 1-6 AFC opponent (Dolphins) on Sunday may factor into the decision.

If Wonnum or Branch have a limited practice on Wednesday’s initial injury report, that would be an excellent sign.

Players can RTP within seven days from concussion - we saw this with Jabari Small in preseason (although he may have suffered another concussion in his game back).

In the previous three seasons though, no Lion returned to play in under nine days…

DJ Reed - Hip

Sounds like Reed is having further evaluation for his hip, which certainly includes imaging. He landed hard on his right hip, so if this is a simple contusion, he could have a quick return-to-play.

Jacob Saylors - Neck

I suspect Saylors aggravated the neck injury he sustained in the previous game. Hopefully, this is just a mild strain/sprain and there are no surprises.

For more detailed analysis on Jack Campbell from yesterday…

Here are the updates from the Lions today:

Lions Statement on X

It’s hard to know what to make of this update as the patient and family have a right to 100% privacy regardless if it’s good or bad news.

“Preliminary indications are positive” almost certainly rules out the worst-case scenario of permanent paralysis, which is of course great news. However, it does imply that there hasn’t been full neurological recovery yet.

Dan Campbell on Jack Campbell

Dan Campbell had a press conference today with updates on multiple players. I’ll start with what he said about Jack, and have the rest of the player updates at the end of this article.

Body language and tone of voice were decidedly positive here with Dan. It certainly sounded like an overall optimistic update. Put all together, it seems hopeful that severe, permanent neurological injury is unlikely at this point for Jack.

What Are the Possibilities?

There is a possibility of lingering neurological symptoms (tingling, weakness) that are actively in a recovery phase, which can carry a highly uncertain timeline of hours to days to months.

Chad is correct that during the acute phase - which is where we are at less than 24 hours since the injury - swelling and inflammation will be present and can be impacting the spinal cord and nerves. The medical team will know a lot more over the next few days.

Is Surgery Still Under Consideration?

Jack has presumably not had surgery, but it’s possible that he will still undergo surgery at some point. It will depend on what the MRI/CT revealed as the underlying cause of his injury. Looking at some notable cases based on public reports:

• Reggie Brown had same-day C1/C2 fusion surgery

• Ryan Shazier had spinal stabilization surgery 2 days post

• Saivion Smith had cervical fusion 2 weeks post

• Jayden Reed this season had neck surgery >10 days post

Further Review of Injury Videos

The following are more thorough and recut videos of Jack’s neck injury, along with a suspicious preceding play. I’m also bringing in videos of Saivion Smith’s 2022 injury, as there may be some relevance.

Feel free to let me know your thoughts on what you see in the videos or in general.

Leave a comment

Importance of Injury Video Analysis

Part of the reason video retrospective analysis of injuries is important is because it can lead to increased medical knowledge that can help future players. It’s only been in the past 20-30 years of human history that we’ve had this many high-definition cameras offering multiple angles and slow-motion to allow us to see exact mechanisms of injury.

If Jack Campbell and Saivion Smith had an antecedent injury that ultimately resulted in a serious spinal cord injury, that knowledge may help determine when to pull a player off the field in the future. It’s similar to how the NFL (and medical science in general) is more knowledgeable now about what to look for with concussions.

Jack Campbell Antecedent Injury?

I went back and reviewed all of Jack Campbell’s plays. The one that had initially caught my eye, which occurred seven plays prior to his final play, still stands out.

In the video, you can see Jack hitting the ballcarrier’s shoulder with the crown of his helmet. Getting hit on the top of the head is one of the primary causes in football of spine injuries due to compression of the spine. After the tackle, he bends his head over like he may have been hurt.

Here is the seventh play before his final play…

Taking a look back at Saivion Smith’s temporary paralysis from 2022, here was the play immediately before his final play…

Smith (#29) does a strange, awkward jerking motion as he gets up after making the tackle. Maybe it’s something, maybe it’s nothing - but the very next play, he suffers a temporary paralysis.

Jack Campbell Final Play

For both Smith and Campbell, their final plays appeared routine and benign. This would make sense if they actually had been injured to some degree before their final play, and it was the final contact that put them over the edge. The spinal cord is in a very tight anatomic area and every millimeter can make a difference.

Here is Campbell’s final play, where you can see his head is up and he takes contact to the facemask. This is how players are taught to tackle because it is generally safe and would be extraordinarily unlikely to cause a spinal injury.

Here is Smith’s final play, where you can see he takes contact to the crown of the helmet, but the force is minimal…

Dan Campbell Updates

Here are the rest of the injury updates from Dan today, with my between-the-lines analysis. See my Lions vs Vikings Postgame Injury Report for the injury videos.

• 🔴Bad news or high concern

• 🟡Uncertain or moderately concerning

• 🟢Good news or low concern

🔴Jimmy Rolder - Hamstring

Terrible news for Rolder, who looked good on Sunday. Incredibly, Rolder was hurt on the same play as Jack Campbell. I suspect this hamstring is an aggravation to the hamstring injury in camp that took about six weeks to recover.

With Jack Campbell almost certainly out for the season, the Lions linebacker unit is now thin. Devin White should be back in about a month from his forearm fracture though.

🟢Cade Mays - Ankle

Video suggested a possible left low-ankle sprain, which would be a best-case scenario. Dan’s update sounded reassuring that this wasn’t a long-term injury.

🟢DJ Reed - Hip

Video was consistent with a right hip contusion, which would be best-case scenario. Dan’s update here sounded reassuring.

🟢Jacob Saylors - Neck

Saylors almost certainly aggravated his neck injury from the prior game. Given that he didn’t miss time with the initial injury, that suggests a mild, simple sprain/strain. Dan’s update here was also reassuring.

🟢Brian Branch & DJ Wonnum - Concussions

Sounds like straightforward concussions for Branch and Wonnum. In 2024, Branch had a return-to-play in 21 days from a concussion, but that was complicated by an illness and a bye.

I think there is a good chance both players miss Sunday’s game vs the Dolphins, but it also wouldn’t surprise me if they play. Branch seems much more likely to play given what was seen on the field - with Wonnum needing to be carted off.

Here are the injuries I saw along with suspected diagnoses.

• 🔴Bad news or high concern

• 🟡Uncertain or moderately concerning

• 🟢Good news or low concern

🟡 Amon-Ra St. Brown (1Q 6:16) - Left knee

Amon-Ra showed up on the sideline with a left knee wrap in the second quarter.

I reviewed Amon-Ra’s plays, and this one where he adjusted to catch a tipped pass stood out.

He visibly limped and grabbed at his left knee occasionally later in the game. He finished out the game without any significant disability, but this injury is one to watch. He likely will get imaging, so hope for no surprises.

St. Brown had knee clean-up surgery in 2025, and the main concern today would be meniscus or articular cartilage damage.

🟢 Amon-Ra St. Brown (1Q 4:27) - Concussion evaluation

ARSB was slow getting up and looked a bit dazed after this play. Maybe that was due to a knee injury from moments before. The video was also initially concerning for a shoulder or ribs with how hard he landed. He was taken into the locker room for a concussion evaluation and was cleared. He was in on the next drive and finished out the game.

🟡 Cade Mays (2Q 12:53) - Left ankle

Mays hobbled off with an apparent left ankle injury. On video, his left ankle inverts, which can cause a low-ankle sprain. He did not return to the game. A low-ankle sprain would be best-case scenario.

🔴 DJ Wonnum (2Q 2:57) - Concussion

🔴 Brian Branch (2Q 2:57) - Concussion

Both players got a concussion on this friendly-fire hit.

What are the chances they will be available in seven days? Here is my 3-year analysis of Lions concussion return-to-play data…

The median return to play (RTP) over the past three years was 11 days. This year, Jabari Small RTP in 7 days, Ben Bartch in 13 days, and Mekhi Wingo in 9 days.

There is certainly a chance that Wonnum and Branch could play next Sunday, but it will depend on how quickly their symptoms resolve.

🟡 Jacob Saylors (3Q) - Neck

Saylors had a neck injury last game, so today’s injury is very likely an aggravation of that. The pre-existing injury was presumably a mild strain/sprain, which wouldn’t be a big deal.

🔴 Jack Campbell (3Q 2:33 & 4Q 14:48) - Head/neck trauma

Late in the 3rd quarter, Jack got up slowly after a head trauma. Just about 3 minutes of gametime (7 plays) later, he hit his head again and his whole body went limp. Were these two events related somehow? That’s very possible. Here is the video cut of both plays…

Either a concussion or a spinal injury can cause a person to go limp. Campbell was on the field for many minutes and then transported to the hospital on a spine board. Best-case scenario is that Jack has “only” a concussion. Clearly, there was at least some level of concern for a spinal injury, but it’s impossible to say how much was precautionary.

If this turns out to be a spine injury, that initial play where he led with his head down would become very suspicious for the incipient cause of the injury…

His final play shows him get hit in the facemask, which usually does not cause a spinal injury by itself.

As Jack was carted off, I did not see any movement of his hands or feet, but he was also fully strapped in.

In postgame, Dan Campbell offered no news or updates. That in itself is concerning.

The situation is similar to what we saw in 2022 with Saivion Smith, who had a temporary paralysis after a benign-looking play.

For more on Saivion Smith and his recovery, visit this story…

The Lions posted this update at 7pm ET…

This update has some positive-sounding words in “resting” and “tonight”. However, it doesn’t address the critical question of whether Jack has movement in his limbs. The longer it goes without specific updates to his neurological status, the more concerning it becomes for a serious, long-term spinal issue.

Possibilities for a temporary paralysis include transient quadriparesis, spinal shock, herniated disc, fracture, dislocation, and cord contusion.

🔴 Jimmy Rolder (4Q 14:48) - Hamstring

It’s unknown the severity of the current hamstring, but he was in visible pain, and had trouble even getting up. The video did not show the injury. Rolder missed about 6 weeks with a hamstring sustained in training camp. There is concern for a significant aggravation of the injury from camp.

🟡 DJ Reed (4Q 14:29) - Right hip

Reed landed hard on his right hip here, limped off, and did not return to the game. This mechanism could cause a simple hip pointer (contusion), which wouldn’t be too big of a deal.

🟢 Jahmyr Gibbs (4Q 1:51) - Right AC joint sprain aggravation

Gibbs had a suspected right AC joint sprain last game. He appeared to aggravate it when he landed hard on his shoulder late in today’s game. An AC sprain generally isn’t a major problem. He’ll have an XR to check for severity, but I expect him to be available for next game.

Notables

🟡Ennis Rakestraw (CB) came into the game with a left ankle injury. I didn’t see him play until the 4th quarter after DJ Reed left.

🟢Roger McCreary (CB) entered the game with a questionable designation and was active and looked totally fine. That makes 6 of 7 questionables who have played (86%).

🟢Tate Ratledge (RG) had signs of a right stinger last game. I did not see any issue this game, and he also was not wearing a neck roll. That’s all good news.

Apparently, Watson was able to go to the ER, obtain a chest CT to evaluate for hemoptysis (coughing up blood), receive a rib fracture diagnosis, and return to the game in about 30 minutes in full uniform.

How was Watson able to do all this? I worked in the ER for three years in residency training and there is discretion for doctors to prioritize patients. Usually priority is determined by medical necessity, but in Green Bay, football is life.

Also, there may have simply been nobody in the ER…

If any Lion needs to go to the ER on Sunday in Detroit, don’t expect such a fast turnaround. Fortunately, the team appears to be in very good health heading into the game, except for a surprise practice injury to starting CB, Roger McCreary. The Vikings also appear to be in good health as well.

Dan Campbell had a press conference today with comments on many injured players including Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, Thomas Harper, Isiah Pacheco, and Devin White. I’ll include his quotes with my analysis below.

Trends over the Week

• The Lions had a surprise downgrade with Roger McCreary. There were expected upgrades over the week with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ennis Rakestraw. Jahmyr Gibbs also avoided any significant injury last game and upgraded.

• The Vikings had a practice injury with Jay Ward, but otherwise had expected upgrades to Aaron Jones, Joe Huber, and Brian O’Neill.

Lions vs Vikings Final Injury Report

• 🔴”Out” or “Doubtful” designation

• 🟡”Questionable”

• 🟢”In”

• * Current starter

DETROIT LIONS (open -3, current -3.5)

🔴 *Kerby Joseph, S - Left knee

Projection: If all goes well, his earliest action may come on November 15 vs the Patriots.

The big news this week with Kerby Joseph was of course that he deactivated his X/Twitter account again. Remember, he did this last year as well. For posterity, here are some of his final tweets before returning to practice.

As far as Kerby on the practice field, he was wearing a leg or knee sleeve during practice on Thursday, after not wearing one on Wednesday.

A compression sleeve can be used for many reasons (including psychological comfort), but the main concern here is if there is swelling. If it’s muscle soreness and swelling, that’s to be expected, and not an issue at all. If it’s mild knee joint swelling, then that raises concern. There can’t have been any major joint swelling, otherwise he probably would not have practiced on Thursday or Friday.

Dan Campbell had this to say about Kerby Joseph’s sleeve:

We don’t know if there was actually any swelling, or if the sleeve was there just in case. That is a key unknown distinction.

What is Kerby’s projected return date if all goes well? Day 19 of the window falls on November 15 vs the Patriots in Germany. This year, both Cade Mays and Brian Branch returned on Day 19 of their windows. Last year, the median return-to-play was Day 16 of the window.

As far as the long plane flight to Europe, I don’t think that should impact anything. Yes, a plane flight can exacerbate leg swelling, but it’s not the swelling that is the issue - it’s what is causing the swelling (knee cartilage damage), which shouldn’t be impacted by a charter flight with relaxed seating rules.

If Kerby is not ready by November 15, I would not expect Kerby’s first action to come the next game on November 22 as there is a short turnaround to Thanksgiving. Thus, Thanksgiving is another possible date for his return, which would give him a nice mini-bye to recover.

🟡 *Roger McCreary, CB - Foot

Projection: Uncertain

A practice injury can be a concern, as the severity is unknown. We saw the same scenario with DJ Reed before Week 2 when he had a practice foot injury and was questionable for the game. Reed’s injury was minor and he played. Hopefully, the same is true for McCreary and he just got stepped on or something insignificant like that.

McCreary played 100% of snaps last game, so his loss would be significant.

🟢 *Jahmyr Gibbs, RB - Suspected right AC joint sprain

A reader gave me this tip on the moment of injury…

Here is the video showing a likely right AC joint sprain due to the mechanism of landing on the shoulder with the arm tucked against the body.

An AC joint sprain is usually not a big deal and can be played through - even a Type 3. A numbing injection can be given for pain if desired.

Severity for Gibbs is likely mild given that he had full practices the final two days of this week. I expect no limitations for him on Sunday. However, as my daughter has been saying for weeks now, “We should stop spamming Gibbs.”

It’s not just his touches that add risk, as this reader correctly points out…

🟢 *Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR - Ankle

I’m not sure which ankle is the injured one, as I didn’t find anything significant on video review. I don’t expect any limitations on Sunday.

🟢 Ennis Rakestraw, CB - Left ankle

It’s the left ankle that is the issue for Rakestraw, as deduced in my Initial Injury Report Analysis. I’m suspecting a mild low-ankle sprain like the one he suffered in preseason. If McCreary can’t go, we probably see Rakestraw get his first starting role of his career.

🟢 Jacob Saylors, RB - Neck

Fortunately, Saylors neck ended up being minor.

🟢 *Tyleik Williams, DT - Illness

🟢 *Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE - Rest

🟢 *Alim McNeill, EDGE - Rest

🟢 *Penei Sewell, LT - Rest

🟢 *DJ Wonnum, EDGE - Rest

Notables Unlisted

🟢*Brian Branch, S - Dan Campbell today stated that there are “no limitations on him going into this game.” Last game, Branch played 67% of snaps. This Sunday, he may get close to his typical 100%.

🔴Thomas Harper, S - Dan Campbell today stated: “If we need him or on-call, he’s close to being ready to go. It’s just a matter of… you start that clock and then you keep going here a little bit and you don’t need him, then you got to IR him.” Basically, it sounds like Harper could come off IR at any time, but he’s staying on there for roster management, because he wouldn’t get much playing time if he came back right now anyway. Brian Branch, Chuck Clark, and Keith Abney are ahead on the depth chart.

🔴Isiah Pacheco, RB - After back surgery for a nerve impingement in August, he was placed on IR. The initial reported return timeline was possibly early December. Today, Dan Campbell stated: “He’s progressing well. I do think there’s a chance we could get him back in late December, mid December.”

🔴Devin White, LB - He’s been on IR since his forearm fracture on October 11. There is a good chance he’s ready by the end of November. Today, Dan Campbell stated that White is “doing pretty good.” Complications or setbacks with a forearm fracture are very unlikely, and Dan’s comments confirm that recovery is going well.

🟢*Tate Ratledge, RG - Last game, he was in visible pain with what I’m suspecting is a recurrent right stinger issue. Good news that he was not on the injury report all week.

Add Dr. Liao to Google preferred sources

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

🟡 Jay Ward, S - Knee

Ward has played almost exclusively on special teams over the first six weeks.

🟢 *Aaron Jones, RB - Knee

This past Sunday, Jones may have aggravated an MCL injury from earlier. While he is going to play, his health is something to watch. Jones has 436 yards rushing this season.

🟢 *Joe Huber, OG - Knee

Huber has started in place of Donovan Jackson, who was lost for the season in Week 4.

🟢 *Brian O’Neill, OT - Knee

O’Neill played 100% of snaps last game.

🟢 Gavin Bartholomew, TE - Ankle

🟢 *Christian Darrisaw, OT - Rest

🟢 *Harrison Smith, S - Rest

Notables Unlisted

🔴*Donovan Jackson, OG - This starter is out for the season after a meniscus injury in Week 4.

🔴Josh Oliver, TE - A torn biceps in Week 3 put him on IR.

Dan Campbell had quite a bit to say about Kerby’s return. Here is my read-between-the-lines analysis of his quotes followed by some good reader questions.

Strengthening the Knee

Campbell has mentioned many times over the past few months that part of the goal has been to increase strength in the knee muscles. That’s because there is nothing that can be done to strengthen cartilage, so you do what you can. For why I suspect this is a cartilage issue, visit my Kerby Joseph Analysis Part 2 from January.

Strengthening the muscles can maybe take some of the load off the knee joint, but how much is debatable. If joint health was about muscle strength, then all these incredibly strong NFL players would have healthy joints - they do not. Regardless of muscle strength, there will still be impact on the knee joint.

Knee Shock Absorbers

When Campbell mentions “shock absorbers”, that’s a primary role of knee cartilage. The meniscus cartilage is in between the two bones of the knee joint and helps absorb shock.

The reason to absorb shock is to protect the essential articular cartilage, which covers the surface of the bones and allows for a frictionless, well-functioning knee. With Kerby, it’s the articular cartilage that is likely worn out, but he probably has meniscus cartilage damage as well - specifically medial-side damage as deduced in this earlier story.

Ramping Up to Football Activities

Campbell is describing the gradual ramp-up, along with the monitoring of symptoms that would indicate further damage to the knee - like swelling. The more pounding the knee takes, the more likely there will be damage to a joint that is lacking protective cartilage.

Kerby presumably has been able to handle the workouts well enough so far, but he hasn’t tested it with football activities yet.

What is the Immediate Future for Kerby?

To this point, Kerby has been doing workouts in a consistent, controlled setting. See my story from last week for a recent workout video. As Dan correctly points out, the irregular and uncertain dynamics of a sport will add a different level of stress to the knee.

Repetitive explosive reps requiring sudden change of direction will really test the knee joint. Nobody knows right now how the knee will respond.

Questions and Comments From Readers

The muscles and tendons are not the source of his injury, but rather the cartilage. The hope is that strengthening his muscles helps prevent further trauma to the cartilage.

Dreadfulsean’s skepticism is on point. Can Kerby handle a full NFL practice, much less multiple practices in a week? He tried twice last December and was not able to practice more than once a week. He hasn’t had a full practice yet this calendar year.

I don’t think he needs to practice full weeks though. The most likely way to actually get him on the field and keep him there is to restrict his workload to the bare minimum during the practice week and put him on a limited snap count on game day.

What Tim is describing is an “allograft” which uses donor tissue. Usually, the tissue is from a deceased donor, but if Tim is willing to give up cartilage while alive, that’s cool too (seriously don’t). One big problem with an allograft is the potential for immune rejection. That’s why an “autograft” - using the patient’s own tissue - is generally much preferred.

The OATS (Osteochondral Autograft Transfer System) procedure moves one’s own cartilage from a healthy site to the damaged site.

OATS, MACI (Matrix-Induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation), and other “patching” procedures are options for articular cartilage loss.

The recovery typically involves non-weight-bearing for multiple weeks followed by multiple months of rehab. We probably would have heard about it if Kerby had such a significant procedure done.

Last year, Kerby described the condition as unfixable, and Dan Campbell said it was something that just needed to be managed. Thus, Kerby probably is not a candidate for these procedures. For him to decline such a procedure is possible, but seems very unlikely.

The other key thing to know is that having a patching procedure done does not mean you should automatically go back to doing whatever you want with the knee - like playing high-impact sports. Whatever factors resulted in the cartilage wearing out in the first place (anatomy, meniscus damage, etc.) can result in the patch wearing out as well.

Stephen makes a great point that it’s not just about Kerby’s ability to play, it’s also about how well he can play. The knee is compromised. How much athleticism will this take away, and how much will it affect his abilities?

I’ve always felt that Kerby’s greatest strength is the ability to read the field, fool the QB, and anticipate the right position to grab interceptions. So he may still be very productive despite decreased athleticism.

Brier makes a good observation about the lack of a knee brace. Kerby wore a knee brace in one game last season - Week 5. He did not wear it the following week in Week 6, which tells us that the brace was too cumbersome to play with or that it was ineffective. He wore a brace during practices last December when he tried to come back.

The knee brace may be an “unloader” brace, which can take some of the pressure off the knee joint. But a brace can only do so much. There is logic to the philosophy of if you’re going to test the knee, then give it a full test without a brace - especially if you’re not planning on playing with a brace. Thus, I don’t think the lack of a brace in practice necessarily means anything.

I agree there may be quad muscle atrophy in the video. Dan Campbell also has confirmed muscle atrophy and weakness. The reason for atrophy is likely because Kerby has been limiting impact on the knee to allow it to heal as much as possible while preventing further damage.

I share spartandawg’s concern. Once articular cartilage is worn away, there is increased friction and grinding of the joint. Over time, the symptoms will only get worse if the joint continues to take on high-impact stress like playing football.

Even if Kerby can handle the ramp-up to full football activities, it would still be smart to put a hard limit on him in practices and games. Because if the knee flares up again, it could mean shutting him down for the rest of the season. Last year, the knee popped up on the injury report after just Week 1, and he was done for the season after Week 6.

The bottom line here is that some excitement for Kerby’s return is warranted, but there is still a ways to go before we will know if he can handle game action, string multiple games together, and perform at a high level.

For a retrospective of the past year with Kerby Joseph, visit these stories. (Some of the content is locked for sensitivity.)

Kerby Joseph is not technically on the active roster, but he did open his 21-day practice window off PUP today. Dan Campbell explained the situation with Kerby in good detail today in his press conference. Here are some of his key quotes.

Dan Campbell lays it all out here very clearly for Kerby. While it’s great news that he is healthy enough to start practicing for the first time this calendar year, it’s still unknown if his knee can handle true football activities. We’ll find out in the next 2-3 weeks or so.

My Lions IR/PUP/NFI Tracker has been updated with Kerby’s status.

Tomorrow, I’ll do more of a breakdown of Dan Campbell’s words regarding Kerby. In the meantime, here’s the initial injury report for Lions vs Vikings. There was one surprise here with Jahmyr Gibbs, whose left knee/ankle did not get listed on the report (good), but a shoulder did get listed (bad).

Lions vs Vikings Initial Injury Report

• 🔴No practice (NP)

• 🟡Limited practice (LP)

• 🟢Full practice (FP)

• * Current starter

DETROIT LIONS (open -3, current -3.5)

🔴 *Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR - Ankle

Projection: In

Dan Campbell today stated: “Saint is doing good.”

After reviewing all his plays from last game, I found nothing of concern. See my story from two days ago for the possible videos of his ankle sprain.

Dan Campbell said on Monday that the tentative plan was to have ARSB practice on Thursday.

🔴 *Jahmyr Gibbs, RB - Shoulder

Projection: Likely in

It’s really good news that his left ankle and knee avoided any surprise injury after his awkward end-of-game “slide”.

The shoulder listing is a surprise as there was no indication of an issue during the last game. While there are no signs of anything to worry about right now, this is an example of why the Lions need to reduce his touches. He’s on pace for 470 touches this season, which would be second-most in NFL history. That’s a lot of pounding on a shoulder, not to mention all his other body parts.

🔴 *Tyleik Williams, DT - Illness

Projection: In

An early-week illness rarely keeps a player out. As long as it’s not something unusual like appendicitis or mono (Christian Mahogany 2024).

🔴 *Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE - Rest

🔴 *Alim McNeill, EDGE - Rest

🔴 *Penei Sewell, LT - Rest

🔴 *DJ Wonnum, EDGE - Rest

🟡 *Kerby Joseph, S - Left knee

Projection: Out

Dan Campbell basically stated today that Joseph would not be ready for a game this Sunday as his knee is going to be tested with a ramp-up over the next 2-3 weeks.

🟡 Ennis Rakestraw, CB - Left ankle

Projection: In

Dan Campbell today stated: “Ennis is doing good.” The LP confirms that the ankle is not serious.

I went back and reviewed all of Rakestraw’s plays to try to find the moment of injury. Here’s what I found:

In the 1st half, Rakestraw wore these cool-looking, blue-speckled cleats…

During halftime, he switched to plain Adidas 3-stripe cleats. Here he is in the first drive of the 3rd quarter…

At the 5-minute mark of the 3rd quarter, his left ankle is seen spatted on punt-return duty….

At the 13:18 of the 4th quarter, you can see he pulls himself out of the game after this play…

I did not find a moment of injury. At no point did he go down or show a limp.

Since we now know this is a left ankle injury, it could be an aggravation of the left low-ankle sprain he suffered two months ago in preseason. If so, that’s not a major concern. He should be able to tape it up and play through vs the Vikings.

🟡 Jacob Saylors, RB - Neck

Projection: Lean in

I didn’t see an injury to Saylors during the game, but special teams injuries are extremely hard to spot. While a neck can sometimes be of very serious concern because it can be a spine, the LP reassures that it’s probably just a soft tissue strain/sprain.

Notables Unlisted

🔴Isiah Pacheco, RB - After back surgery for a nerve impingement in August, he was placed on IR. There is a possibility he returns in December, but that’s no sure thing.

🔴Devin White, LB - He’s been on IR since his forearm fracture on October 11. There is a good chance he’s ready to play in about a month.

🔴Thomas Harper, S - On IR for an ankle, Harper has missed the last four games. He is now eligible to start his 21-day practice window. It’s not a good sign that he did not have his window opened at the first opportunity. If he doesn’t practice this week, he’s likely out for at least 2-3 more weeks. The median return-to-play in 2025 was Day 16 of the practice window.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

🔴 *Aaron Jones, RB - Knee

This past Sunday, Jones may have aggravated an MCL injury from earlier. Head coach Kevin O’Connell sounded confident that he would be available vs the Lions. Jones has 436 yards rushing this season.

🔴 *Joe Huber, OG - Knee

Huber has started in place of Donovan Jackson, who was lost for the season in Week 4. Kevin O’Connell said he was “not overly concerned” about Huber’s knee today.

🟡 *Brian O’Neill, OT - Knee

O’Neill played 100% of snaps last game, so this knee shouldn’t keep him out with a LP.

Notables Unlisted

🟢*Caleb Banks, DT - This 1st-round rookie limped off last game, but appears to be fine. He’s a rookie who carried a major red flag in pre-draft due to multiple foot surgeries. Here was my pre-draft medical report for Banks.

🔴*Donovan Jackson, OG - This starter is out for the season after a meniscus injury in Week 4.

🔴Josh Oliver, TE - A torn biceps in Week 3 put him on IR.

The following are some of my thoughts from a medical doctor’s perspective. Some of it is directly relevant to Jalen Hurts’ situation, while some of it is more indirectly related and general regarding medical care.

Updated Jalen Hurts’ blood clot timeline:

• October 4 vs Rams: Cleated in the calf during game.

• October 8: Calf pain noted.

• October 9: Eagles fly to London.

• October 10: Superficial blood clot discovered on ultrasound while in London. No blood thinners indicated or given at this time.

• October 11 vs Jaguars: Played in game with no issue. That same night, the Eagles fly back to USA from London.

• October 14: Practiced in full. Ultrasound after practice revealed “movement” in the clot. Ruled out for the next game on October 18.

• October 17: Hurts put on IR.

• October 19: Erroneous report via Tom Pelissero claiming that doctors told Hurts not to sleep. Later retracted.

• October 19: Eagles release statement that Hurts has deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and bilateral pulmonary embolisms (PE).

• October 25: NFL and NFLPA announce they will investigate Hurts’ management.

  ---

Abbreviations:

• SVT = superficial vein thrombosis (clot in superficial veins of body)

• DVT = deep vein thrombosis (clot in the deep veins of the body)

• PE = pulmonary embolism (clot in the blood vessels of lung)

Every Decision in Medicine and Life Involves Odds

With every patient encounter, the doctor is mentally estimating the odds of each possible outcome, even the very rare ones. For every back pain that has a life-threatening cause, there are probably a million that are a simple strain. For every sinus pain that ends up being a brain tumor, there are probably a million that are a simple infection. For every leg pain that ends up being a SVT and subsequent PE, there are probably a million that do not. With a US population of 340 million and a global population of 8 billion, even extremely rare things will still happen regularly.

It’s like an NFL game where analytics may state a 99.9% chance of winning with a 21 point lead with 3 minutes left, but every once in a while, the unlikely is still going to occur.

There is Still Much Unknown about the Human Body

The more you study medicine and learn about the human body, the more you realize that there is a vast amount we still don’t know. When it comes to blood clots, there is a lot we don’t know about the odds and risks of various activities.

Bad Outcomes Are Going to Happen

Doctors cannot prevent every bad outcome from happening. In fact, bad outcomes happen all the time. Everyone is going to have some kind of negative health event in their life, and everyone is going to die of something at some point.

Doctors can do their best, but they can only do so much. Just because a bad outcome happened doesn’t necessarily mean that the medical care was faulty.

Risks of Activities with a Clot are Largely Unknown

With Jalen Hurts’ initial SVT, it’s not certain what the odds are that it would progress to something worse like a DVT or PE. It’s also not certain what the risk levels are with playing football or flying.

With a DVT, it is generally recommended to avoid flying if a patient is not anticoagulated. That’s because prolonged stasis in a seated position can increase the risk of a blood clot. And more consequentially, if the DVT breaks off and turns into a dangerous PE, there is no hospital in the air. With a SVT, there is no definitive consensus on the safety of flying.

As I stated in my initial analysis of Hurts, there are likely thousands to millions of people over the years living life, playing sports, and flying around with SVTs that nobody ever finds out about. That is in fact true for DVTs as well. There are studies that have found around 3% of people on a >4-hour plane flight will develop a DVT - almost all small and clinically unimportant. Nobody is routinely getting screened for blood clots before or after flights.

With NFL charter plane travel and the less-restrictive seating rules, players can get up, walk around, lie down, and stretch out frequently throughout a flight. So there may be negligible additional risk to flying with a DVT or SVT compared to being on the ground.

The Cost to the Patient of Trying to Prevent Every Bad Outcome

You do not want doctors to try to prevent every bad outcome, as that comes with a cost to each individual patient by way of excessive tests, “unnecessary” procedures, hospital stays, anxiety, time, energy, and money. All these things can actually lead to WORSE outcomes for patients.

If doctors were told to prevent every bad outcome for an NFL player, no player would ever be cleared to play in a game. It’s a balance, and there needs to be an acceptance that there is a risk/reward to every medical and patient decision.

For example, there are negatives to staying in hospitals. There are a lot more pathogens floating around. It’s more difficult to get rest due to uncomfortable beds, wires hooked up to the body, staff checking in regularly, random beeps and sounds, and doctor exams at ungodly hours. Staying in the comfort of home has a lot of advantages.

There Are Limited Resources in the Real World

From a societal standpoint, if doctors are expected to prevent every bad outcome, not only will the cost of healthcare rise exponentially, but EVEN MORE people will have bad outcomes because of the misallocation of resources.

There are not an infinite number of hospital beds, imaging machines, nurses, doctors, and healthcare personnel. Tough choices need to be made, otherwise resources will run out very quickly. The reality is a lot of this has already happened.

The Patient Has the Ultimate Authority

Doctors can give patients all the information and odds of their health situation, but in the end, the patient is the one who has the right to make the ultimate decision that fits their life. Doctors should not be imposing their values and philosophies on patients.

In Hurts’ situation, if he was given a choice between taking on a tiny risk to play in an NFL game and fly home with a clot versus staying in a foreign hospital, he (along with many of us) might choose to continue with normal life. Patients make these kinds of decisions all the time, and it is their right to make them.

Should Jalen Hurts Have Had Another Ultrasound Before the Flight Home?

Maybe. This might be the biggest current controversy of his medical care. He had just had an ultrasound the day before the flight, and presumably there were no worsening symptoms like leg swelling or respiratory symptoms. So the likelihood of a significant progression of the SVT at that time was probably very low.

Typically, a follow-up ultrasound would be advised in 2-3 days or in 7-10 days depending on the location of the SVT. To be extra safe (and to avoid criticism), an ultrasound immediately before flying home could have been performed. I would expect that in the future, the NFL with its vast resources will mandate ultrasounds immediately before flights for players with any kind of blood clots.

Doctors are Human and Can Make Mistakes

Doctors are only human, and when seeing thousands of patients per year, occasional errors will happen. Whether the medical staff made any errors with Hurts is debatable. Should an error cost a doctor their job or lead to a malpractice lawsuit like many are calling for in the case of Jalen Hurts?

The Impact of Unrealistic Expectations

Mental burnout can occur in any profession if the expectations are unrealistic. Doctors and healthcare workers can do their best with the information they have, but bad outcomes are still going to happen sometimes.

Unrealistic expectations can lead to hypercriticism and malpractice lawsuits that add stress and cost to doctors and the healthcare system. Imagine the effect if Jared Goff could get sued for throwing an interception, Dan Campbell could get sued for a failed 4th-down, or the entire Lions organization could get sued for having a bad season. Players, coaches, and teams would need to carry malpractice insurance, the costs would get passed on to fans somehow (think ticket prices are expensive now?), a lot more players/coaches would choose early retirements… and the on-the-field outcome probably wouldn’t even change and might actually get worse.

For my initial story and analysis of Jalen Hurts’ blood clot…

• 🔴Bad news or high concern

• 🟡Uncertain or moderately concerning

• 🟢Good news or low concern

🟢 Amon-Ra St. Brown Ankle Injury

St. Brown was not available to the media after the game due to treatment for an ankle issue. Dan Campbell had this to say today about St. Brown and Ennis Rakestraw:

I reviewed all of St. Brown’s plays (not just his nine receptions) and did not see any ankle twist or rollup mechanisms that would have caused a significant ankle sprain. At no point did he go down, stay down, or show any disability. There was no visible spatting.

Maybe the most suspicious moment was a very mild external rotation of his right ankle on Jahmyr Gibbs’ lost fumble at the end of the half. The next drive on the second play, St. Brown reaches down towards his right leg and gives a thumbs up to Gibbs who checks on him.

Later in the third quarter, his left ankle was put in a risky position with this twisting tackle but there didn’t seem to be much there…

In the fourth quarter, he sat out the entire failed fourth-down drive that started at the 7-minute mark, but this could have just been due to the plays that were called.

Later in the fourth quarter, his ankles appeared to be just fine celebrating a Packers’ penalty…

In the locker room celebration video, ARSB was not wearing a boot or anything else on his ankles.

My video findings (or lack of them) along with Dan Campbell’s reassuring report support a minor ankle sprain. I would expect St. Brown to be a full-go for Sunday vs the Vikings.

🟢 Ennis Rakestraw Ankle Injury

As noted in my postgame report, Rakestraw took himself out of the game early in the fourth quarter after this benign-looking play…

I didn’t have much concern at the time, and Campbell’s report supports a mild severity. It could be a tweak of a left low ankle sprain like the one he suffered in preseason. The signs are good that Rakestraw should be available for Sunday.

Brian Branch Achilles Timeline Video Including Antecedents and Comeback

I put together a full cut of the right leg issues that preceded Branch’s right Achilles rupture, ending in his triumphant comeback yesterday…

It was an excellent first game back for Branch who laid multiple big hits and picked up an interception. If he looks good for another few games, I would expect the Lions to try to extend him due to the relatively low recurrence rate and residuals for Achilles injuries…

Detroit Lions Week 7 Snap Counts vs Packers

Offense Notables:

🔴Jahmyr Gibbs got 90% of snaps (29 carries) while Sione Vaki got 13% (1 carry). I can accept weighting Gibbs more heavily in a divisional game. However, the Lions need to try to balance things out in non-divisional games. Currently, Gibbs is on pace for 470 touches this season which would be second most in NFL history (James Wilder 1984). You never know when a fluky injury is going to happen as we almost saw on Gibbs’ attempted slide at the end of the game.

🟢The offensive line is slightly banged up but battled through. Blake Miller (left knee previous game), Christian Mahogany (labored during game), and Tate Ratledge (suspected stinger) all played 100%.

🟡I guess if Sam LaPorta (97%) is going to leave after this year, might as well use him. If the Lions want to keep him long-term, I would advise reducing his snap counts to preserve his back.

Defense Notables:

🟢Brian Branch at 67% was a nice ease-in percentage. I would expect this number to go up next game.

🟢Roger McCreary played 100%. I had thought he rotated out, but it turns out he did not. It’s usually a good sign when you don’t notice a CB. The CB rotation actually did not involve the top two guys as DJ Reed played 91%.

🟢Khalil Dorsey (21%) got more CB snaps than I ever remember, which was good to see. He made multiple nice plays and got a game ball from Dan Campbell afterwards.

🟢Trevor Nowaske (21%) continues to look effective and fast when he’s in there. He may have supplanted Malcolm Rodriguez, who only showed up on special teams.

🟢Keith Abney (51%) appears to have solidified a spot in the safety rotation in place of Christian Izien (0%). Abney is just 21 years old and is on track to contend for a starting safety job next season.

🟡Aidan Hutchinson (87%) actually dipped below 90% which is good. But my preference is for him in the 70-82% range.

🟢Alim McNeill (78%) was in the 70’s where I like to see it.

🟡Derrick Moore (30%) bumped up slightly from last game (27%). This was his highest snap count percentage of the season. He hasn’t made much of an impact yet, but hopefully soon.

Here are the injuries I saw along with suspected diagnoses.

• 🔴Bad news or high concern

• 🟡Uncertain o…

Read more

Safety Brian Branch will play for the first time since his right Achilles rupture almost 11 months ago. With the defensive secondary struggling mightily this season, Branch will be tasked with cleaning up the shit…

(Spoiler Alert)

Center Cade Mays will also see his first action of the season after his right wrist fracture in training camp. While there isn’t as much shit to clean up with the offensive line, there is still a lot of room for improvement - especially with the running game.

Jahmyr Gibbs’ yards per attempt has dipped this season to 4.8 - the lowest of his career (5.0 in 2025, 5.6 in 2024, & 5.2 in 2023). Visibly, there just don’t seem to be as many holes for Gibbs to run through. Hopefully, Mays can help juice the running game, which is one of the core tenets of this team.

On the Packers’ side, their electric running back, Josh Jacobs, will make his season debut as he hopes to revive the team’s heretofore moribund running game.

Now, for the complete injury report and analysis…

Lions vs Packers Final Injury Report

Key Trends

• The Packers had two new issues pop up during the practice week with starting LBs Zaire Franklin’s shin and Lukas Van Ness’ illness. Franklin will be out, while Van Ness is in.

• 🔴”Out” or “Doubtful” designation

• 🟡”Questionable”

• 🟢”In”

• * Current starter

DETROIT LIONS (open -3, current -3)

🟡 *Brian Branch, S - Right Achilles (December 4, 2025)

Projection: In

Not sure why Branch and Mays are “questionables” since Dan Campbell has already stated that both are playing a full workload on Sunday. I expect Branch to get close to 100% of snaps. Cramps and fatigue are the only things that might reduce his snap count.

🟡 *Cade Mays, C - Right wrist fracture (August 9)

Projection: In

It will be great to see Mays get 100% of snaps on Sunday. The only thing better is if he loses some snaps in garbage time because the Lions are winning by 30 points.

Lions “questionables” have played 3 of 4 times this season. That will become 5 of 6 on Sunday. Last year, the rate was 78%.

🟢 Rock Ya-Sin, CB - Hamstring (October 4)

Ya-Sin missed last game with this hamstring, but is ready to go after a full practice today. Though there is a chance he’ll be a “healthy” inactive on gameday to avoid an aggravation. Last time he played, he was only on special teams.

Notables Unlisted

🔴*Kerby Joseph (S) is still on the PUP list with his left knee issue. See my Lions Packers Initial Injury Report story to see his latest workout video.

🔴Isiah Pacheco (RB) has missed the entire season on IR due to back surgery, with a possible return in December.

🔴Thomas Harper (S) has missed three games on IR with an ankle and is eligible to open his 21-day practice window after the Packers game.

See my Lions IR/PUP/NFI Tracker for all the details.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

🔴 *Zaire Franklin, LB - Shin

This starting linebacker was kneed in the shin during practice according to Matt LaFleur and is out. Franklin has played almost 99% of snaps through the first six games of the season.

Presumably, Franklin has a contusion due to mechanism of injury. Either this is a severe contusion or there is concern for the possibility of something worse. A significant laceration is possible. In rare cases, a limb-threatening compartment syndrome can occur with a lower leg contusion. Another unlikely possibility is what happened with Jalen Hurts, who had a vein thrombosis after getting cleated.

See my Jalen Hurts Blood Clot Initial Analysis for more on that saga…

🟡Aaron Banks, G - Knee/toe

Banks last played in Week 2. I believe former Lion Laken Tomlinson has usurped him.

🟡Bo Melton, WR - Back

Melton has 4 receptions for 30 yards this year.

🟡Jordon Riley, DT - Achilles

Riley had his 21-day practice window opened last Wednesday, so he probably won’t be ready yet against the Lions. He ruptured his Achilles on December 27, 2025.

🟡Benjamin St-Juste, CB - Hamstring

This backup has played almost exclusively on special teams this year.

🟢*Lukas Van Ness, LB - Illness

This impact LB has played 66% of snaps this season and has 3.5 sacks.

🟢*Jordan Love, QB - Back

The back is important for everything, including throwing the ball, but I don’t expect much of a problem for Love.

🟢*Christian Watson, WR - Ankle

From what I saw, Watson looked like he hurt his right ankle or Achilles area last game. He has been very productive this year with 39 receptions for 538 yards.

🟢*Matthew Golden, WR - Shoulder

Golden has been a dynamic playmaker this season with 30 receptions for 501 yards.

🟢*Savion Williams, WR - Ankle

Williams has 4 receptions for 32 yards this year.

🟢*Brandon Cisse, CB - Shoulder/neck

Cisse appeared to me to have a right arm stinger last game. Presumably his cervical imaging was negative, which makes him good to go.

🟢Anthony Campbell, DT - Ankle

Notables Unlisted

🟢*Josh Jacobs (RB) is expected to play for the first time this year after missing six games on the commissioner exempt list due to an off-the-field incident.

🔴*Micah Parsons (EDGE) is still recovering from his December 14 ACL tear, which included meniscus damage.

🔴*Jayden Reed (WR) suffered a spine injury in Week 2 that may have caused a temporary paralysis. He is on IR.

🔴*Zach Bako-Bewele (RT) ruptured his patellar tendon in Week 2 and is out for the year.

🔴*Edgerrin Cooper (LB) ruptured his Achilles in Week 4. This playmaker already had three sacks on the year.

🔴*Javon Hargrave (DT) ruptured his Achilles in Week 5 and was put on IR. He had been playing about 50% of defensive snaps.

🔴Chris Brooks (RB) was placed on IR after Week 4 with an ankle sprain. This backup RB had 70 rushing yards this season.

🔴Jonathan Ford (DT) had a calf injury in Week 5 that landed him on IR. He was playing around 20-40% of defensive snaps.

But first, here was my fun conversation with Jeff Risdon today…

Where is pain originated in the body?

This injury video of Chiefs WR Tyquan Thornton exemplifies the the fascinating phenomenon of pain. In the video, you see Thornton suffer an obviously deformed left ankle fracture and dislocation, but it’s his immediate response that stands out…

October 4, 2026:

Thornton gets up to celebrate until he sees he can’t stand up on his left foot due to the ankle fracture. There was no pain signal in the brain alerting him to the severity of the injury.

I took a class devoted to the study of perception and pain while I was at the University of Pennsylvania. What I learned was fascinating and really changed my outlook on the world. Here are some key takeaways:

• Pain is 100% created by the brain. The brain may use neuronal signals from body parts to help guide when to create pain, but there is no sensation of pain until the brain creates it. We see this in the Thornton video where the body part has suffered severe trauma, but the brain has not created the pain yet.

• The brain can create pain even without neuronal signals from body parts. This explains the phenomenon of phantom limb pain, where people can still feel pain in limbs that have been previously amputated.

• Because pain is created in the brain, it is not something that can be measured by doctors. There is no lab test or imaging to measure pain. This is why doctors use subjective 1-10 scales, because that is the best option we have. Because of the subjectivity of pain, it makes it a challenge to treat properly without risking addiction to opioids. This is one of the underlying reasons for the opioid crisis.

• It’s not just pain that is entirely created by the brain, it’s all our sensory experiences. Vision, hearing, touch, and smell are all perceptions created in the brain - usually with the help of external stimuli but not always. This is why phenomena like sensory illusions exist.

  

The bottom line is that the brain can create things that do not exist in the external world, and also not create things that do exist. In the end, we are all living within our own Matrix created by our own brains.

Jim Nantz Hand Injury

Perhaps the most unusual injury over the past weekend occurred when Jim Nantz attempted to punch a football out of JJ Watt’s hands.

Later, Nantz appeared with his hand wrapped up…

A boxer’s fracture is a possibility here, which is a fracture of the distal fifth metacarpal (the base of the pinky).

This bone is fragile and can be easily broken when punching anything hard like someone’s face or a wall. This is one reason why players shouldn’t be punching other players in the helmet.

Lions vs Packers Week 7 Midweek Injury Report

Detroit Lions

There were no changes in participation. The full practices for Brian Branch and Cade Mays keeps them on track to play, while another limited practice for Rock Ya-Sin makes him increasingly less likely to play.

Green Bay Packers

New additions to the report include LB Zaire Franklin (shin) and LB Lukas Van Ness (illness), neither of which seems likely to be significant. A shin is an unusual body part designation, and a simple bruise is one of the only possibilities. An illness generally does not keep a player out of action unless it is within a day or two of game time.

Tomorrow, I’ll analyze the final injury report for Lions vs Packers. For the detailed analysis of the initial injury report…

The Packers beat Dallas last week and appeared to have a pretty healthy game. However, there are numerous key players for the Packers on IR or recovering from last season’s injuries including EDGE Micah Parsons, WR Jayden Reed, LB Edgerrin Cooper, and DT Javon Hargrave.

Here is the initial injury report analysis including some news today on Kerby Joseph and Sam LaPorta.

Lions vs Packers Week 7 Initial Injury Report

Because of the bye, the Lions held their practice on Tuesday this week instead of Wednesday.

• 🔴No practice (NP)

• 🟡Limited practice (LP)

• 🟢Full practice (FP)

• *Current starter

DETROIT LIONS (open -3)

🟡 Rock Ya-Sin, CB - Hamstring (October 4)

Projection: Lean out

The severity of Ya-Sin’s hamstring was previously unknown, but with this LP, we now know it’s on the mild side. He has missed only one game so far due to the hamstring and seems to have a fair chance of being available for Sunday. Since he was only a special teams player in his last game, the Lions may slow-play his return.

🟢 *Brian Branch, S - Right Achilles (December 4, 2025)

Projection: In

Dan Campbell has already confirmed that Branch’s middle fingers are ready for game action vs the Packers.

His Achilles is also ready, so expect Branch to play a full workload.

🟢 *Cade Mays, C - Right wrist fracture (August 9)

Projection: In

Dan Campbell confirmed on the radio today that Mays will be starting at center on Sunday and play full-time. This comes as no surprise after Campbell’s comments two days ago.

Notables Unlisted

🟢*Blake Miller (RT) is not on the report after an unspecified left knee injury (possible mild MCL) in the last game. See Miller’s knee injury video in my previous story.

🟢*DJ Reed (CB) is not on the report after playing through a possible right biceps contusion last game.

🟢*Tyleik Williams’ (DT) foot is off the report. He entered last game with a minor foot issue, but played.

🟢*DJ Wonnum’s (EDGE) back is off the report after being on it for the past two games. He’s had five sacks in his past three games, so maybe the Lions should just keep him on the report for good luck.

🔴*Kerby Joseph (S) is still on the PUP list and posted a rehab video of himself today. It’s good to see him active, but we already knew that he was doing some stuff behind-the-scenes. Here is his video at full speed unedited…

There appears to be a slightly awkward step past the line each time, where he takes a short step with his left leg and then a lunge step with his right. It is the left knee that is the injured one. Here is a side by side edit at 25% speed…

Is this awkward-looking step related to a weakness in the left knee or is it purposeful? I’m not sure.

Regardless, the issue is not if his left knee can do some drills, but rather how it responds afterwards. If there is no swelling and discomfort, great, keep ramping it up. But if there comes a point in the ramp-up where there is swelling and discomfort, then he’ll need to shut it back down.

That was the scenario last December when he practiced once at the beginning of the week for two weeks, but was unable to practice the entire rest of each week. See the full Kerby Joseph knee injury timeline in my story here.

🟢*Sam LaPorta (TE) was on the Pardon My Take podcast and had this to say:

If it wasn’t for the spine injury that required a microdiscectomy, then LaPorta may already be signed by now. In September, Brad Holmes said about Branch and LaPorta: “We still want to keep those guys around. There’s a couple factors that we still got to sort through.”

As I wrote in a July mailbag, I think the Lions want a contract that protects themselves in case LaPorta’s spine issue recurs - by way of fewer guarantees, more production incentives, etc. While it’s easy to say “pay LaPorta” when he’s healthy and playing great, the Lions are being smart by thinking about the long-term future. They don’t want a nightmare cap situation like what is going on with Kerby Joseph.

Green Bay Packers

🔴Bo Melton, WR - Back

🟡*Jordan Love, QB - Back

There is no availability concern here. Love will play.

🟡*Christian Watson, WR - Ankle

Watson hurt his right ankle or Achilles area last game.

🟡*Matthew Golden, WR - Shoulder

🟡*Savion Williams, WR - Ankle

🟡*Brandon Cisse, CB - Shoulder/neck

Cisse appeared to have a right arm stinger last game. Presumably his cervical imaging has been negative, and the LP signals he should be ready to play.

🟡*Aaron Banks, G - Knee/toe

🟡Anthony Campbell, DT - Ankle

🟡Jordon Riley, DT - Achilles

Riley had his 21-day practice window opened last Wednesday, so he probably won’t be ready yet for the Lions. He ruptured his Achilles on December 27, 2025.

🟡Benjamin St-Juste, CB - Hamstring

Notables Unlisted

🔴*Micah Parsons (EDGE) is still recovering from his December 14 ACL tear, which included meniscus damage.

🟢Josh Jacobs (RB) could play for the first time this year after missing six games on the commissioner exempt list due to an off-the-field incident. He is an electric running back who can make a big difference.

🔴*Jayden Reed (WR) suffered a spine injury in Week 2 that may have caused a temporary paralysis. He is on IR.

🔴*Zach Bako-Bewele (RT) ruptured his patellar tendon in Week 2 and is out for the year.

🔴*Edgerrin Cooper (LB) ruptured his Achilles in Week 4. He already had three sacks on the year.

🔴Chris Brooks (RB) was placed on IR after Week 4 with an ankle sprain. This backup RB had 70 rushing yards this season.

🔴*Javon Hargrave (DT) ruptured his Achilles in Week 5 and was put on IR. He had been playing about 50% of defensive snaps.

🔴Jonathan Ford (DT) had a calf injury in Week 5 that landed him on IR. He was playing around 20-40% of defensive snaps.

After my thoughts on Campbell’s comments regarding Joseph, I’ll review the good news coming out of Lions practice, a massive re-addition to the team, and some problematic “reporting” from national media.

• 🔴Bad news or high concern

• 🟡Uncertain or moderately concerning

• 🟢Good news or low concern

🟡 Kerby Joseph Current Status

It sort of sounds like Dan Campbell is talking directly to Kerby when he says “At some point it’s time for football.” When it comes to the presumed knee cartilage issue, any healing or recovery is long-past done at this point - over 12 months since his last game. So is it the Lions or Kerby who are holding back his attempted return right now?

If it’s Kerby, then at some point the decision needs to be made whether he wants to try to play football or not. That may be what Dan Campbell is saying.

As KingJiggly states, Kerby almost certainly will need to play through pain. Unfortunately, it’s not just a pain issue for Kerby, as he has acknowledged there has been swelling and disability as well.

The mental obstacle for Kerby may be in trying to decide if it’s worth sacrificing his long-term knee health to play a little more football.

The real question we maybe should be asking about Kerby Joseph’s status this year is not “Will he play?” but rather “Should he play?”

If his knee is having pain and swelling with football activities, that’s a sure sign that he is incurring further long-term damage. Given that he has not practiced in almost 11 months now, it can be presumed that his knee still can’t handle football activities.

I agree with Matt and Vito that Kerby may come to the conclusion soon (or maybe already) that it’s just not worth it.

As far as Dan saying that he expects Kerby to return this season, it really isn’t something Dan can know until Kerby starts testing his knee with football activities.

For more detailed analysis on Kerby’s knee, start here…

🟢 Detroit Lions Tuesday Practice Participation

Excellent news today as there were zero absences at the Lions practice.

• Rock Ya-Sin, who was dealing with a hamstring and missed the last game, returned to practice. While he may have lost his starting job, he’s still very valuable as a backup.

• This is great news for Blake Miller, who sustained an unspecified left knee injury during the last game.

• DJ Reed, who appeared to hurt his right arm last game, avoided any surprises.

The initial injury report for Lions vs Packers will be released tomorrow.

🟢 Aidan Keanaaina Returns to the Lions

October 19, 2026:

This massive 6’ 3”, 320-pound defensive tackle was given $267,500 guaranteed by the Lions to sign after the draft as a priority UDFA (undrafted free agent). Thus, it was disappointing when he suffered an unspecified injury on August 10, was put on IR, and then waived with injury settlement. But his story with the Lions is not over, as he visited the Lions yesterday and has been re-signed to the Lions practice squad.

The injury settlement allowed him to re-sign with his original team three weeks after the agreed upon recovery time of the injury. He is currently 10 weeks post injury, so the implied injury recovery time would be about 7 weeks. Of course, there are an infinite number of possibilities for the injury, but something like an MCL sprain or high ankle sprain would fit that general timeline.

The Lions clearly saw something they liked in Keanaaina as evidenced by his big guarantee, so it is nice to see him return. Here was my initial medical report and analysis for Aidan Keanaaina…

🔴 Don’t Judge Medical Staffs Based on Public Reports

Yesterday, I wrote about how preposterous the report was that claimed doctors told Jalen Hurts not to go to sleep. Well, a few hours later, Tom Pelissero issued a “clarification” that basically retracted his initial report.

It was almost certainly Hurts’ agent who was the source for the initial misinformation. This is further proof that the “sources” for most national reporters are the agents, who are in the business of dispensing information that makes their clients look good. And agents are not medical professionals, so health information can get misinterpreted or misreported as we saw in this case.

Unfortunately, the medical staff caring for Hurts took some criticism based on the initial false report. It’s important to remember that the medical staffs for these players have no ability to correct a false report or give their perspective on what happened.

For the initial analysis of Jalen Hurts’ blood clot…

Dan Campbell had a press conference today. Here are some of his quotes along with my analysis. Mixed in will be thoughts on Brian Branch’s stem cell treatment and an update on Jalen Hurts’ blood clot.

• 🔴Bad news or high concern

• 🟡Uncertain or moderately concerning

• 🟢Good news or low concern

🟢Brian Branch Returns from Right Achilles

Campbell confirms that Branch is ready to play this Sunday. How much will he play? The Lions historically don’t ease players back into the lineup. Thus, expect Branch to get a full workload in his first game back. Cramps will be something to keep an eye on given Branch’s propensity for that issue in the past.

🟡Brian Branch Stem Cell Treatment for Achilles

The recent Dan Pompei article on Brian Branch revealed stem cell treatment…

I’m dubious at to whether stem cell treatment has any positive effect for an Achilles recovery. For Branch, it did not appear to shorten his recovery time at all. He will be returning at just under 11 months (Dec 4 ➡️ Oct 25), which is a fairly typical timeline for an Achilles.

🟢Cade Mays Returns from Wrist Fracture

Reading between the lines here suggests that Mays will return full-time to the starting lineup on Sunday. Since he is the long-term future at the position with a 3-year contract, it makes sense to get Mays in there as soon as possible even if there are some short-term lumps along the way. While Scruggs may be playing well, he is in the final year of his rookie deal, and thus may not be with the team next year.

🔴Jalen Hurts Bilateral Pulmonary Embolisms

The concern with Hurts’ superficial blood clot (SVT) was that it would turn into a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and then subsequently a pulmonary embolism (PE). It’s the PE that is the serious medical concern here. Unfortunately for Hurts, this bad-case scenario happened.

For more on SVT, DVT, and PE, read my initial analysis from two days ago…

Now that Hurts has bilateral PEs, he will be placed on anticoagulants for a minimum of three months, during which time he can’t play football. A PE can be a life-threatening issue, so Hurts will be closely monitored throughout.

No Sleep Till Brooklyn?

With all due respect to Tom Pelissero, who presumably directly reports what he is told, this report is ridiculous. There is no way that doctors told Hurts not to sleep. If his medical situation required such intensive monitoring, he would have been admitted to the hospital with round-the-clock care, not dodging 300-pound humans trying to crush him. There is likely some miscommunication, misinterpretation, or misreporting of what the doctors told him.

It’s possible that the doctors told him that lack of movement for long periods can increase the risk of developing blood clots (true), and this was misinterpreted as an order to not lie down at all.

Sleep is important for body recovery and healing, so it would be extremely unusual in any medical circumstance to advise a patient not to go to sleep (I’ve never seen it). If the situation is that critical, the patient would be admitted to the hospital for professional observation and monitoring.

Concussions are a situation where doctors may have in the past advised people to stay awake to monitor for worsening symptoms. But this is highly controversial and not advised anymore, as it is better for the brain to rest and have someone else check in regularly on the concussed patient.

For the retraction of the erroneous “no sleep” report and my thoughts…