Detroit Lions 2026 offseason health concern meter - Part 1: Returning players
The Lions have some significant health concerns coming out of the 2025 season, and some not so significant ones. Here is my ranking of the concern level - 0 (no concern) to 10 (whoa Nellie) - for key players who are under contract through at least 2026. Players who are free agents will be coming soon in a Part 2.
Some of the following will include bad news. While nobody enjoys hearing bad news, you are here because you want the truth and can handle the truth. Not everybody can…
Quick summary of concern level for key returning players
10 - Kerby Joseph, Taylor Decker
9 - Sam LaPorta
8 - Brian Branch
7 - Thomas Harper
6 - Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw, Graham Glasgow, Dan Jackson
5 - Giovanni Manu, Mekhi Wingo
4 - DJ Reed, Miles Frazier, Sione Vaki
3 - Tate Ratledge
2 - Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill, Ahmed Hassanein, Brock Wright
1 - Penei Sewell, Jack Campbell, David Montgomery, Christian Mahogany, Khalil Dorsey
0 - Jared Goff, Aidan Hutchinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Derrick Barnes, Jameson Williams, Tyleik Williams, Tyler Lacy, Dominic Lovett, Isaac TeSlaa, Jack Fox, Hogan Hatten
Now for the details…
(Ages at start of the 2026 season in parentheses. Age is factored into the concern level.)
HIGH CONCERN
Kerby Joseph, S (25) - left knee
Concern level 10/10
Suspected articular cartilage damage that wiped out most of his season is a major concern going forward. There are legitimate questions about his future in the NFL.
The knee issue was present in early training camp and was aggravated here in Week 4…
For a detailed look at Joseph’s knee…
Taylor Decker, OT (33) - right shoulder
Concern level 10/10
This shoulder has bothered him for the last 2 seasons and has already had one surgery. Quite simply, the shoulder may not be able to handle the rigors of football anymore.
While he only missed 2 games last season for the shoulder, it affected him all season as seen here in Week 7…
Retirement seems likely. Even if he returns, his reliability and performance will be a concern. For more on Decker’s shoulder as well as other injuries like his toe sesamoidectomy…
Sam LaPorta, TE (25) - herniated disc
Concern level 9/10
This spinal disc issue compressing on a nerve was an accumulation injury that culminated during his final game in Week 10. He had surgery for it, but recovery and reliability are uncertain.
This play in Week 10 was his penultimate of the season…
For a deep dive into LaPorta’s herniated disc…
Brian Branch, S (24) - right Achilles
Concern level 8/10
Branch should be back around mid-season but it’s uncertain what he’ll look like when he returns. There have been some good Achilles recoveries around the league lately so cautious optimism is warranted.
You can see his calf pop when his Achilles ruptures…
For a detailed look at Branch’s Achilles injury…
Thomas Harper, S (25) - concussions
Concern level 7/10
Two concussions in December are a significant concern going forward. The worry is a possible lowered concussion threshold as well as how many games he will need to miss if he has another concussion.
When you look at how he got his 2 concussions, you see that his head-down tackling technique may need to be completely revamped which could decrease his effectiveness.
MEDIUM CONCERN
Terrion Arnold, CB (23) - shoulder
Concern level 6/10
Arnold had 2 shoulder surgeries after his season ended in Week 13. He also had a concussion. These injuries could affect his physicality going forward.
His shoulder was initially hurt in Week 4 and then aggravated in Week 5…
This concussion in Week 10 cost him the next 2 games (although I suspect the shoulder was partly the reason)…
Ennis Rakestraw, CB (24) - shoulder
Concern level 6/10
A shoulder injury in training camp required surgery and wiped out his entire season. The year prior, multiple hamstrings erased most of that season. He also has a core muscle surgery and an ACL in his past.
Graham Glasgow, C (34) - knees
Concern level 6/10
Knee issues have affected Glasgow the past 2 seasons, and his play may have declined as a result. His age is also a concern. To his credit, he only missed 2 games last season.
Dan Jackson, S (25) - leg
Concern level 6/10
Jackson missed the whole season after this injury in training camp. There are no details on the leg injury except that Dan Campbell stated at the time “doesn’t look good”.
Giovanni Manu, OT (25) - knee
Concern level 5/10
An unspecified knee injury ended his season after Week 5. He got in some limited practices at the end of the season, but the long 3+ month recovery is concerning.
Mekhi Wingo, DT (23) - knee meniscus
Concern level 5/10
Wingo played against the Bears twice last season, but was inactive in every other game. Coincidentally (or maybe not?), he hurt his knee against the Bears in the previous season (November 28, 2024) which necessitated meniscus surgery as well as a follow-up surgery.
The prolonged recovery and limited playing time last year raises concern for residual knee issues.
Three straight games against the Bears must drive a player mad, but Wingo made the most of it with a couple splash plays in Week 18…
DJ Reed, CB (29) - hamstring
Concern level 4/10
A severe hamstring strain wiped out 2 months of the season. When he returned to action, he didn’t appear quite fully recovered. Hamstrings can recur, and his age approaching 30 doesn’t help.
Miles Frazier, OG (25) - knee
Concern level 4/10
An unspecified knee injury last offseason kept this 5th-round rookie out of training camp and the first half of the season. He didn’t play until Week 14. The good news is he seemed healthy during his limited action - 46 offensive snaps over the final 5 games.
Sione Vaki, RB (25) - multiple issues
Concern level 4/10
In his 2nd NFL season, Vaki was banged up multiple times with hamstring, groin, ankle, thumb, and shoulder issues. He missed 6 games total.
LOW CONCERN
Tate Ratledge, OG (25) - neck
Concern level 3/10
Even though this 2nd-round rookie did not miss a game last season, there were many signs suspicious for a neck issue. On multiple occasions, he reached for his right neck area, and he started wearing a neck collar in Week 10 (which may be the reason for his missing mullet).
Hopefully, it is nothing that involves the cervical spine. One possibility is repeated stingers which can sometimes be due to a spinal issue.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR (26) - knee, wrist
Concern level 2/10
ARSB had offseason knee surgery in 2025 which is suspected to be a cartilage cleanup. His right knee was also irritated at the end of the season.
He still had a fantastic year which is reassuring. Any kind of cartilage loss is something to monitor going forward though.
The other concern is a possible hand/wrist issue that may have led to an atypical number of drops. I expect this issue to heal up over the offseason.
Alim McNeill, DT (26) - ACL
Concern level 2/10
McNeill tore his ACL in December 2024 and was able to return in a little over 10 months. In his first game back in Week 7, he made some impact plays…
The rest of the season wasn’t as productive. Not unexpected as players often aren’t fully recovered in their first year back from an ACL. He should look much better in 2026.
Ahmed Hassanein, EDGE (24) - right pec strain
Concern level 2/10
We didn’t see this 6th-round rookie on the field again after hurting himself in preseason, but he was able to spend many weeks on the practice squad at the end of the year.
Brock Wright, TE (27) trachea
Concern level 2/10
It’s uncertain how exactly his trachea injury occurred. He ended up missing the last 6 games of the season.
Wright was working out in mid-December and was probably close to a return. If the Lions were still in it in Week 18, he may have come back.
Penei Sewell, OT (25) - left ankle & left shoulder
Concern level 1/10
Sewell’s left ankle was hurt multiple times during the year. He missed the final game of the season due to a possible high ankle sprain.
There is no indication that the injury is severe, but sometimes high ankles do require tightrope surgery. Early signals are reassuring that this 1st-team All-Pro doesn’t need surgery.
He may have also been dealing with a left shoulder issue during the season.
Jack Campbell, LB (26) - hip
Concern level 1/10
Campbell overcame an unspecified, offseason hip surgery to become 1st-team All-Pro. He also had no problem playing through this gnarly lip laceration…
David Montgomery, RB (29)
Concern level 1/10
DMo looked back-to-form in 2025 after recovering from an MCL (and more?) at the end of the 2024 season. The only concern is his age approaching 30. Despite a low medical concern, there is a high concern that he won’t be back with the team given the glaring signals of a rift between him and the Lions.
Christian Mahogany, OG (25) - left fibula fracture
Concern level 1/10
A fibula fracture generally heals very well, and the relatively quick return-to-play after missing just 6 games suggests no significant ankle joint involvement.
Khalil Dorsey, CB (28) - concussion, wrist
Concern level 1/10
Dorsey had a concussion and wrist injury that caused him to miss 6 games.
ZERO CONCERN
Jared Goff, QB (31)
A couple minor ankle injuries the past 2 seasons has been the extent of it for Goff. He’s been an ironman having not missed a game the past 4 seasons.
Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE (26)
Hutch recovered fully, as expected, from his tib/fib fracture in 2024. He may have a mild chronic left elbow issue over the past couple years, but played in every game in 2025.
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB (24)
Running backs often get banged up, but apparently not this one. Gibbs has only missed 2 games (hamstring) in his 3-year career.
Derrick Barnes, LB (26) - MCL/PCL
Barnes rebounded from MCL/PCL surgery in 2024 to play every game in 2025.
Jameson Williams, WR (25)
After recovering from his college ACL, Jamo has been extremely healthy and reliable.
Tyleik Williams, DT (23)
This 1st-round rookie played every game last season.
Jack Fox, P (30)
No missed games for Fox the past 3 seasons.
Tyler Lacy, DT (26)
Lacy played 237 snaps over 10 games last season.
Hogan Hatten, LS (26)
No missed games for Hatten in his 2-year career.
Dominic Lovett, WR (23)
This 7th-round rookie had a mild abdomen issue in training camp but was healthy during the season while playing in 12 games.
Isaac TeSlaa, WR (24)
The only concern during TeSlaa’s rookie season was if he would run out of room on his ridiculous-catch highlight reel.
After absorbing some bad news earlier in this article, let’s end on a high note with TeSlaa’s 2025 regular season highlights…