Okay, so Brian Branch, that safety who looked sharp in practice, is officially OUT for Sunday’s showdown with the Arizona Cardinals. It’s a bummer, no doubt, especially when the Lions are sitting at 2-2 and need every bit of defensive firepower they can get. But here’s the kicker, and it’s got to give fans a serious shot of hope: the team is laser-focused on getting Branch and Cade Mays back on the field right after the bye week, specifically targeting that huge Packers game.
The Big Guns Are Still Sidelined, But The Return Date Is Set
It’s official: Branch (achilles, PUP) and Mays (wrist, IR) are still not quite ready to roll, even after getting a week of practice under their belts. Lions coach Dan Campbell pretty much confirmed what we all suspected: you can’t rush these things. Both guys are staying in Detroit during the bye week, grinding with the training staff. Campbell laid out the plan, saying, “They’re going to be here continuing to condition, get ready,as (much) football stuff as they can do without it being that with the training staff. Then let’s get them going Green Bay week. Let’s get them going, and then we’ll assess. Hopefully by midweek, we’ll have a pretty good idea. We’d love to get them ready to go versus Green Bay.” That’s the kind of concrete plan you want to hear.
Beyond those two, the “OUT” list for Sunday is a bit longer. Guard Ben Bartch (foot) will miss his third straight game. The team didn’t put him on IR, which suggests he might also be back after the bye. It’ll be interesting to see if he can reclaim that starting left guard spot from Christian Mahogany, who’s been holding it down. Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (hamstring) is also out. He was already demoted from the starting lineup before his special teams injury last game, and there’s no clear word on how bad that hammy actually is.
Glimmers of Hope On The Defensive Front
It isn’t all bad news on the injury report. Defensive lineman Tyleik Williams, who’s listed as questionable with a foot injury, sounds like he’s going to play. He told the Detroit Free Press that his injury is just a bruise and he should be good to go. Even with a limited practice on Thursday and Friday, all signs point to him being out there. And that’s fantastic, because Coach Campbell was absolutely gushing about him on Friday. Campbell raved, “He’s such a good athlete and he’s powerful. He’s powerfully strong and he really has a heightened sense of awareness for football. His FBI [football intelligence] is way up there. And so, when you combine all those with a guy who’s going in his second year and has just taken off, he really took off by the end of the year and he picked up where he left off, had a really good camp and four games in, he is continuing to climb.” That’s high praise for a second-year guy.
On top of that, edge rusher DJ Wonnum isn’t even listed with an injury designation. He’s been dealing with a back issue for over a week, but it hasn’t kept him off the field, even if his snaps were down to 36 last week.
So, this Sunday against the 1-3 Cardinals is a big one. The Lions need to get to 3-2 heading into their bye. It won’t be easy with some key players still sidelined, but knowing that Branch and Mays are so close to returning for that Week 7 Packers game? That’s what really has fans looking forward to what’s next for this squad. Let’s get that W and then get healthy!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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