Detroit Lions Week 3 injury report: 6 starters miss Wednesday’s practice

The Detroit Lions released their first injury report of Week 3 on Wednesday and, no surprise, there is a lot to process. The Lions have incurred an influx of injuries over the last week and have been very active with their roster management, as they prepare to take on the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field in Week 3.

The good news: Coach Dan Campbell said that the majority of players on Wednesday’s injury report are considered day-to-day.

Let’s dig into this week’s initial injury report.

Injured reserve, Non-Football injury list

• QB Hendon Hooker (ACL): NFI — eligible to return in Week 5
• EDGE Julian Okwara (undisclosed): IR — eligible to return in Week 5
• EDGE Josh Paschal (knee): IR — eligible to return in Week 6
• EDGE James Houston (fibula): IR — eligible to return in Week 7
• CB Khalil Dorsey (illness): IR — eligible to return in Week 6
• DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson (pectoral): IR — eligible to return in Week 7

While the timelines surrounding return-to-play for Paschal and Dorsey are not known at this time, Houston and Gardner-Johnson’s injuries are considered long-term. Gardner-Johnson’s injury was originally reported as potentially season-ending, though Campbell left the door open, suggesting there’s a chance he can come back this season.

“The reports that we’ve gotten back on it is that it was a very clean injury and that’s normally good for surgery, recovery, all of those things,” Campbell said. “So I certainly think there’s a chance that we get him back.”

The original reports for Houston suggested a 6-8 week recovery period for a fractured ankle, but Campbell described the issue as a fibula injury, which appears to carry a longer rehabilitation schedule.

“(Houston) may be very similar to (Gardner-Johnson) Ducey,” Campbell continued. “Could be end of the year potentially, but there again, I can’t – I don’t want to sit here and tell you, ‘Yes,’ and then we don’t get him back. But I do think there’s a chance by the end of the year we could get him back.”

No practice on Wednesday

• RB David Montgomery (thigh)
• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (toe)
• LT Taylor Decker (ankle)
• RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai (knee)
• CB Emmanuel Moseley (knee/hamstring)
• S Kerby Joseph (hip)

Montgomery exited Week 2 with a thigh injury, and while he noted in the locker room following the game that he could miss a couple of weeks (per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press), Campbell has twice suggested Montgomery is more considered day-to-day.

St. Brown reportedly had a steel plate put in his cleat during the Seahawks game—according to FOX broadcast, color commentator Greg Olson—suggesting a possible turf toe injury. While Campbell did not confirm that particular injury, St. Brown did miss practice on Wednesday and is also considered day-to-day.

Decker injured himself in Week 1 and it kept him from playing in Week 2. And while the Lions optimistically didn’t downgrade him to out until Saturday, Campbell didn’t sound as optimistic when speaking to 97.1 The Ticket on Tuesday.

“There’s hope, but honestly I can’t say that (he’ll be back),” Campbell said. “Decker is still day-to-day, he is improving, but I can’t say that with a ton of confidence right now that I know we’ll have Decker back (for Week 3).”

Vaitai had his legs rolled up on in the second half of the Seahawks game, and on Monday, Campbell suggested, the Lions starting right guard “could be out for a little bit.” Graham Glasgow replaced him in the lineup and could be headed for a Week 3 start.

Moseley was working his way back from offseason ACL surgery when a hamstring put him back on the shelf in Week 2. He continues to miss practices, and Campbell noted that Moseley was another player he didn’t feel great about returning to play anytime soon.

Joseph was also injured against the Seahawks, briefly exiting before returning to action and finishing out the game. Missing practice is obviously somewhat concerning, but it’s also worth noting that the Lions have made 10 roster moves since Saturday, and beyond placing Gardner-Johnson on injured reserve, none of the other moves involved a safety. With only two other safeties on the active roster, it appears the Lions may be optimistic Joseph could be available on Sunday.

Limited practice

• WR Josh Reynolds (groin)

Reynolds led the team with 53 offensive snaps on Sunday against the Seahawks and did not appear to come out of the game with an apparent injury. Reynolds was in for the final possession of that game.

At this point, it’s not clear if Reynolds is dealing with a lingering injury from that game that he played through or if he suffered an injury during Wednesday’s practice. Thursday’s injury report should provide more information.

Full practice

• C Frank Ragnow (toe)
• WR Antoine Green (concussion protocol)

Ragnow will likely show up on the injury report all season as he manages his chronic toe injury. Expect him to get a rest day later on in the week.

Green was removed from the Lions game against the Seahawks and examined for a concussion, and him being listed as a full participant on the injury report suggests he passed the protocols on Sunday. He, by a new NFL rule, must be listed on the injury report for having gone through protocol, even though he was never diagnosed with a concussion.

Falcons injury report

Here’s a look at the Falcons initial injury report—oh, hey, Jeff Okudah: