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The Detroit Lions are getting healthier, but it’s already Thursday and a few key players still have a long way to go in order to be ready to play against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Let’s take a closer look at today’s injury report.
No practice on Thursday
- OT Penei Sewell (ankle)
The Lions are hopeful Sewell can play, but if he can’t they want to be prepared.
“You know, right now, we’re planning on going without him,” Lions’ offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn said on Thursday, per MLive’s Kyle Meinke. “But if he’s ready, that’d be great”.
While he was listed as no practice on Thursday, Sewell as present during Thursday’s indoor session. He worked exclusively on the sidelines with a trainer in his pass sets, but there was some clear discomfort while going through his solo reps.
If Sewell can’t go, the Lions have two obvious options to fill in. Reserve tackle Will Holden and current starting right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai both have started games in the NFL at left tackle. While Vaitai has more experience—including playing at left tackle in Super Bowl LII—switching him would require moving two players to new positions, as his spot would also then need to be filled, and it would likely be by second-year reserve Logan Stenberg.
Limited practice
- TE T.J. Hockenson (knee)
- RB D’Andre Swift (groin)
- RB Jamaal Williams (hip)
- DL Michael Brockers (shoulder)
- EDGE Trey Flowers (knee)
Both T.J. Hockenson and Penei Sewell were BACK at practice today but both were held out of positional drills, and were working off to the sidelines.
— Pride of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) October 7, 2021
Hock left after just a little bit of work. Sewell was still working when media was excused.
Hockenson, as Jeremy Reisman noted in the Tweet above, appears to be pushing through his knee injury and trying to get ready to play, but may still have a few hurdles to clear before he will be back in action.
Flowers, who has put together back-to-back practices after missing the last two weeks, showed improvement in his movements during the open portion of practice. He is looking more and more on track to play this weekend.
Swift, Williams, and Brockers injuries are being managed but all three look on track to play this weekend.
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