Three Detroit Lions starters, safety Kerby Joseph, center Cade Mays, and cornerback D.J. Reed, are officially OUT for Sunday’s matchup against the New England Patriots in Munich, Germany, and that’s just the start of their injury woes. This final injury report, dropped Friday, paints a concerning picture for the Lions as they prepare for their overseas battle.
Three Key Players Sidelined, Depth Gets Tested Hard
The Lions are definitely feeling the pain with Joseph, Mays, and Reed all ruled out. We’re talking a starting safety, their center, and a starting corner all watching from the sidelines. Joseph’s knee, Mays’ ankle, and Reed’s hip kept them out of practice all week, or at least DNP on Friday, making their absences a no-brainer. This means Detroit’s depth is about to get a serious workout, especially against a Patriots squad. You never want to be shorthanded, but losing these guys means some backups are going to be thrown into the fire in a huge international game. The team departed for Germany already knowing these three wouldn’t play, so they’ve had a little time to plan, but it’s still a gut punch.
St. Brown’s Ribs and Vaki’s Ankle Keep Everyone Guessing
If losing three starters wasn’t enough, star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is officially questionable with a rib injury. That’s a huge storyline heading into kickoff, considering he was limited in *all three* practices this week. Can you imagine going into a game against the Patriots without your top receiver, especially in an international game? Running back Sione Vaki is also questionable with an ankle injury, though he did show some improvement by getting in a limited practice Friday after missing the previous two. His status is still up in the air, and that’s another big piece of the offensive puzzle that could be missing.
Now, on the brighter side, quarterback Jared Goff practiced fully on Thursday and Friday after being limited Wednesday with a chest injury. Head coach Dan Campbell even downplayed it, saying they just gave Goff some extra rest earlier in the week. Brian Branch, a safety, also bounced back with full practices Thursday and Friday after his hip limited him Wednesday. Both Goff and Branch carry no game-status designations, so they’re good to go. Jacob Saylors and DJ Wonnum also practiced fully all week with neck/hamstring and concussion issues, respectively, and are cleared.
The Lions now just have to hold their breath on St. Brown and Vaki. They’re facing the Patriots Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET at Allianz Arena in Munich. It’s going to be a tough one, but you know they’ll need all hands on deck, especially with so many question marks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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