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[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions elevate CB, OL for Bengals game

The Detroit Lions are elevating two players for their Week 5 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals: cornerback Tre Flowers and offensive lineman Devin Cochran.

Flowers’ elevation comes as little surprise. Detroit lost starting cornerback D.J. Reed to injured reserve this week after he suffered a hamstring injury that is not considered season-ending. Additionally, Lions depth corner Khalil Dorsey was also declared out this week after he was dealing with both a concussion and a wrist injury.

Flowers was only added earlier this week, but the veteran corner has had plenty of experience since he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. In his career, he’s played in 95 games, made 44 starts, and tallied 22 pass deflections and four interceptions. He most recently played for both the Jaguars and Colts last year, making a total of five brief game appearances (16 snaps on defense, 23 on special teams).

With Flowers aboard, the Lions have the following options at cornerback against the Bengals: Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson, Avonte Maddox, Rock Ya-sin, and Tre Flowers.

The elevation of Cochran is a bit more interesting. Left tackle Taylor Decker is questionable for Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury, but that is an injury he has played with for the past few weeks, despite barely practicing each week. If Decker were to miss the game, the Lions are likely to start Giovanni Manu, and Cochran would likely be the primary backup. That said, it’s possible Detroit simply wants more depth at the tackle position as insurance—or he’s played well enough in practice to earn the backup swing tackle job.

Cochran was quietly added to the practice squad after Week 1. This game is a bit of a homecoming for Cochran, as he went undrafted in 2022 and spent the following three seasons with the Bengals. He spent his entire rookie season on the practice squad and missed the entire 2023 season with an injury. However, he was elevated to the Bengals’ active roster halfway through the 2024 season and ended up making nine game appearances, including one start. In total, he played 152 offensive snaps, split nearly evenly between left tackle (69) and right tackle (83).

You can see the Lions’ final injury report for Week 5 here.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr.../detroit-lions-elevate-cb-ol-for-bengals-game

 

[Detroit Lions]

Patience and first impressions: How Ty Summers became Lions’ quickest call-up

For the past seven weeks, Ty Summers has been taking care of a three-and-a-half-year-old, a 20-month old, and a wife who’s expecting a third child in November. For Summers, that’s a joy he’ll never take for granted, but it was also a mental challenge. He was in danger of losing a football career he’s spent nearly his entire life fighting for.

Starting as a seventh-round pick in 2019 for the Green Bay Packers, Summers climb into the league wasn’t easy. But despite the long odds to make the roster, he battled and earned an essential role on special teams for Green Bay. In his rookie season, he led the Packers in special teams snaps and held that four-core role for three seasons. Since then, he’s jumped from team to team. Given his value on special teams, tenacious attitude, and ridiculous athletic build, he rarely had trouble finding a new job and earning his keep on the field.

But this offseason was different from any other. After failing to make the New York Giants’ squad out of training camp, the phone calls stopped coming… for well over a month.

“It’s definitely mentally taxing,” Summers said. “It tests your will a little bit, and how much you really want to do this. Because it feels like when you get let down over and over again, it can attack you mentally, take you away from what you feel like you’re called to do.”

Summers kept working out, kept staying in shape, and on Monday night, the call he was waiting for finally came via the Detroit Lions.

“My wife was cooking dinner Monday night, we’re going through our regular night routine. My agent calls, says, ‘Hey, the Lions are flying you out tonight for a workout.’ I was like, ‘Uh, okay.’ (They) set a flight for 2.5 hours later, had to pack real quick, had to fly out. There was no time to think about it,” Summers recalls.

Not only did the Lions immediately sign Summers to the practice squad, but a day later, they added him to the 53-man roster, and he’s expected to play this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals on special teams.

It’s unusual for a player to come in on a Monday, workout and sign on a Tuesday, get promoted on Thursday, and play that Sunday. But the Lions were familiar with Summers due to a short stint with the team in 2024. And back then, he proved he can handle a quick promotion.

Last year, he was signed on a Monday and then asked to play 39 defensive snaps—second most on the team—and 12 special teams snaps (also second most) that Saturday for Detroit’s second preseason game. He responded in a huge way, posting three tackles and a 79.2 PFF grade vs. the Chiefs, then tallied nine tackles, two for loss, one sack, and two QB hits in the team’s preseason finale against the Steelers.

“(He) got up on the defense that fast, understood what we were trying to do, and played—man, he played hard,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “He played relentless in that preseason game against Kansas City, and so he caught our eye there.”

The Lions didn’t want to lose him at the time. While he was too far down on Detroit’s depth chart to make the 53-man roster, they had fully intended on signing him to the practice squad. Unfortunately for them, a better opportunity was calling from the Giants. New York was offering Summers immediate playing time, something a player in his position simply cannot pass up.

“I didn’t want to leave here because I love the way that I played here, and the atmosphere here, but I had to take the opportunity to play,” Summers said.

It was the right choice. Summers played in 16 games for the Giants last year, racking up 272 special teams snaps. More importantly, his play on the field led to an opportunity for him to get defensive looks at the end of the year. And like most opportunities throughout his career, he made the most of them. In his starting debut for the Giants—just his second career defensive start—he posted 11 tackles for New York, helping the Giants snap a 10-game losing streak.

Summers credits his short opportunity last preseason with the Lions for re-energizing his career in a way he hadn’t felt since his college days at TCU with iconic coach Gary Patterson.

“It was really gritty, tough. You’ve got to be physical, you’ve go to be mentally strong, basically just play with your hair on fire. That was the mentality,” Summers said. “So to come here, kinda awoke that part of me. It feel like I left it dormant, let it sleep, just became complacent in places I’ve been with the way I played, and my back was kinda up against the wall, too. It was my last opportunity to prove to teams that I deserve to play in this league. So I feel like the two coming together just produced what it did.”

It was an important reminder for Summers, that no matter how small, how tough every little opportunity may seem, it could be a life-changing experience.

“I think every day matters, every play matters,” Summer said. “It’s easy when you get in the routine of doing things to become complacent about the process, but if you take it seriously and are intentional on everything—no matter if you’re here for two weeks or two years—everything matters.”

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...-how-ty-summers-became-lions-quickest-call-up

 

[Detroit Lions]

Week 6 opening odds: Lions road underdogs vs. Chiefs on SNF

The Detroit Lions (4-1) and Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) will square off on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 6, in an interconference battle between two of the best teams in the NFL. The defending AFC Champions will host Detroit for the second time in the Dan Campbell era; the first happened in 2023 when the Lions upset the Chiefs 21-20 in the 2023 season opener.

The Kansas City Chiefs got off to a rough start in 2025, beginning the season 0-2 after losses to the Chargers and Eagles, but wins over the Giants and Ravens evened them up to 2-2. They have yet to play in Week 5—they play the Jaguars on “Monday Night Football”—but that won’t stop Vegas from looking ahead. The folks over at FanDuel Sportsbook are ready to make their projections for Week 6, and they’ve set the opening betting line at Lions +1.5 points.

Despite Detroit’s recent head-to-head victory and current records, the Chiefs are the favorites in this matchup, but this is not that unusual a spot for Kansas City to be in. In fact, in the 70 games quarterback Patrick Mahomes has started at home, he and the Chiefs have been the favorites in 67 of them. What might take some by surprise is that two of those three times the Chiefs were the underdogs occurred this season: in Week 2 against the Eagles and in Week 4 against the Ravens. In fact, this is the first time in the 2025 season that the Chiefs will be the favorites at home.

Are the Chiefs deserving of being the favorites in this game? Lions fans will have a chance to scout them on Monday night and see.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...opening-odds-detroit-lions-kansas-city-chiefs

 

[Detroit Lions]

Report: Lions CB Terrion Arnold’s injury ‘likely season-ending’

For those hoping for a late-season appearance for Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold, the news does not look good. After aggravating a shoulder injury on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network is reporting that Arnold’s 2025 season is likely done.

“My understanding is this is likely a season-ending injury for Terrion Arnold, but he is still getting additional medical opinions,” Pelissero said on “Good Morning Football” Tuesday morning.

This news comes a day after Lions coach Dan Campbell said the injury would keep Arnold sidelined indefinitely, without being able to comment on whether it was season-ending.

“He’s going to be out for a while. He’s going to be out for a long time,” Campbell said.

Arnold was coming off his best game of the 2025 season, in which he only allowed three catches on six targets for 28 yards while tallying two pass deflections. Although he was called for two penalties on the day, including one that erased a safety for his defense.

“He was very competitive. I thought he was calm. I thought he was cool, and I thought this was one of the better games he’s played in a while. I thought he was really good,” Campbell said.

The Lions will have to move on without the services of Arnold, and for at least the next three games, they’ll be without No. 1 cornerback D.J. Reed, too. Reed suffered a hamstring injury against the Browns that landed him on injured reserve. With Khalil Dorsey also dealing with an injury, that leaves the Lions with only three healthy players on their current 53-man roster: Amik Robertson, Rock-Ya Sin, and Avonte Maddox. Detroit has also picked up a few players on their practice squad who can fill in, including Tre Flowers and Nick Whiteside.

“This train doesn’t stop for anybody. Doesn’t matter who it is or what it is, we’ve got to go,” Campbell said regarding the team’s recent injury luck. “Nobody cares, nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. You’re putting your best 22 out there, offense, defense—and special teams, by the way—and you’ve got to find a way to win the game. And you use all three phases to do it, and we will use all three phases to do it.”

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...s-terrion-arnolds-injury-likely-season-ending

 

[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions tried to sign veteran corner, beaten out by Saints

The Detroit Lions are unsurprisingly trying to upgrade their cornerback room after D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, and Khalil Dorsey suffered somewhat significant injuries in the past two weeks. However, their latest attempt was thwarted by the New Orleans Saints. Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Lions attempted to sign veteran cornerback Michael Davis. But the Saints, who were initially trying to sign Davis to their practice squad, upped their offer to a spot on the 53-man roster, and Davis has now officially signed with them.

When asked on Twitter why Davis is opting to sign with the Saints over the Lions, Garafolo said, “familiarity with Brandon Staley and his defense.” Staley is the Saints’ defensive coordinator, and he was the head coach of the Chargers during two of Davis’ seven seasons with Los Angeles.

Davis, 30, is a 6-foot-2 cornerback with 76 total starts under his belt. After his seven years with the Chargers, he spent 2024 with the Washington Commanders, playing in 15 games and starting two. However, he went this entire offseason unsigned as a free agent.

So the Lions will have to go back to the drawing board to fill out the rest of their cornerback room. The good news is that Arnold’s injury—once thought to be season-ending—may only cost the second-year cornerback a few games. A second opinion on his shoulder injury suggested he could bypass surgery and even return to the field within the month, per various reports.

Still, it seems likely Detroit will add some depth to the room to get them through the next few weeks. We’ll see later on Tuesday if they brought in any players for visits and tryouts. UPDATE: They didn’t.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...d-to-sign-veteran-corner-beaten-out-by-saints

 

[Detroit Lions]

Dan Campbell calls ESPN’s Aidan Hutchinson report ‘bogus’

Prior to the Detroit Lions’ Week 3 “Monday Night Football” game against the Baltimore Ravens, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on the network’s pregame show that the Lions had contacted the league about how teams were playing against Aidan Hutchinson. Their complaint, per Schefter, was that opponents were going low against Hutchinson, who had suffered a fractured tibia/fibula last year. While these cut blocks are not illegal, Schefter said the Lions wanted the league to keep an eye on it.

“The Detroit Lions have taken notice, and they’ve asked the league office to monitor the plays against Aidan Hutchinson,” Schefter said, via Sports Illustrated. “Not that that will protect him out there, but clearly people have noticed some of the plays, and the Lions want the league office to notice as well.”

On Wednesday, Lions coach Dan Campbell was asked about these allegations on Wednesday, but before the reporter could finish his question, Campbell interrupted.

“That’s bogus,” Campbell said. “That’s a bogus report. I don’t know where that came from. Nobody from here ever did that. That’s bull […] The game is played a certain way, that’s the way it goes. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing or (what) somebody else is doing to our guys. We know that, and we play accordingly.”

Campbell praised Hutchinson’s efforts this season, as he continues to draw more attention from opposing teams.

“He’s in that rare world of you don’t get the easy way out, man,” Campbell said. “He’s gotta beat the nudges, he’s gotta beat the (running) back chip then the tackle’s on him or he’s gotta beat the nudge. Sometimes the back, the tackle, and the slides coming to him with a guard, also. Sometimes you have to beat three, sometimes four, but if that’s the case somebody else is winning. They’ve got to win.

“So, what he does is not easy, and I go back to this: he’s a complete football player. He does it all, and he’s disruptive, he’s violent, he’s high motor, he’s crafty, he’s explosive, he’s tough, he’s competitive, and he does it all.”

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...ell-calls-espns-aidan-hutchinson-report-bogus

 

[Detroit Lions]

Lions, Chiefs initial injury report: Amon-Ra St. Brown among 4 starters sitting

The Detroit Lions (4-1) are on the road again in Week 6, as they travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs (2-3). The Lions open the week with several players not practicing, including four starters, while the Chiefs had everyone accounted for.

There were numerous injuries to sort through over the past week, so let’s take a look at the latest injury report and get you up to date with what we know. Note: Any changes from the last injury report will be bolded.

Injured list updates​

• TE Shane Zylstra (ankle, Reserve/IR) — eligible to return in Week 7
• G Miles Frazier (undisclosed Reserve/PUP)
• EDGE Marcus Davenport (pectoral, Reserve/IR) — eligible to return in Week 7
• EDGE Josh Paschal (undisclosed, Reserve/NFI)
• DT Alim McNeill (ACL, Reserve/PUP) — evaluation window has begun
• LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ACL, Reserve/PUP)
• CB D.J. Reed (hamstring/IR) — eligible to return in Week 10
• CB Khalil Dorsey (concussion, wrist, Reserve/IR) — eligible to return in Week 11
• S Daniel Thomas (forearm, Reserve/IR) — eligible to return in Week 8

Dorsey was added to injured reserve on Wednesday, an expected move based on Lions coach Dan Campbell’s comments on Monday, suggesting the corner would be “out a long time.” Dorsey will be required to miss the next four games and will be eligible to return following the Lions Week 10 game against the Washington Commanders.

No practice​

• RB Sione Vaki (groin)
• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (wrist) — New injury
• WR Kalif Raymond (neck) — Injured in Week 5
• LT Taylor Decker (shoulder)
• LB Zach Cunningham (hamstring)
• CB Terrion Arnold (shoulder) — Injured in Week 5
• S Kerby Joseph (knee)

Vaki has not practiced for two weeks now, so while him not practicing isn’t anything new, it is a bit discouraging that this injury is lingering. The Lions opted not to put him on injured reserve, so there is hope he will return to practice soon.

St. Brown played a full complement of snaps in Week 5 and is listed with a wrist injury. No other details were given from the team, so we’ll have to see how it plays out through the week.

Raymond suffered a scary hit on a return in Week 5 and was forced out of the game. While he was not officially practicing on Wednesday, he was spotted by our own Jeremy Reisman on the side of the practice field working with trainers, which is an encouraging sign that this may not be a long-term injury.

Decker continues to miss practice in order to rest his shoulder, and while he’s played without practice earlier in the season, he was not available to play last Sunday. If Decker needs another week (or more) to rest his shoulder, the Lions may plan on starting Giovanni Manu (who started at left tackle last week) or they could turn to veteran Dan Skipper (who was signed to the active roster on Wednesday) as they have in previous seasons. This continues to be a fluid situation.

Cunningham injured his hamstring in Thursday’s practice in Week 4, and has missed two games because of it. Like with Vaki, Cunningham not being placed on injured reserve is an encouraging sign he may return to practice sooner than later.

Arnold’s injury has taken fans on a bit of a rollercoaster. On Monday, Arnold got the dreaded “he’ll be out a long time” quote from Campbell, meaning a stint on injured reserve could be coming his way—something the national media had suggested was “likely” later that night. However, on Tuesday, Arnold received a second opinion that revealed the injury might not be as serious as originally expected. On Wednesday, Campbell confirmed the new positive report and acknowledged Arnold will avoid surgery, but also cautioned patience.

“There’s a second opinion that came in, and so now it’s, OK, let’s see if we can strengthen a little bit,” Campbell said on Wednesday. “Get a little bit of the inflammation out. I don’t know how long that’s going to be, though. I still may kind of go back that he may be out a while. But yeah, the second opinion came back, and it sounds like it could be promising, but that’s no guarantee either. So, we’re kind of in this wait-and-see, and we’ll hold off here a little bit and just see where he goes.”

Kerby Joseph rested for two practices last week, but was able to get in limited work on Friday and started on Sunday. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Lions take a similar approach this week, so as not to overwork him before Sunday night.

Limited practice​

• DB Brian Branch (ankle) — New injury

Branch missed a single snap during the Bengals game to get his ankle taped. A slow start to the week is likely just precautionary, but we’ll see how it progresses.

Full Practice​

• DT Alim McNeill (ACL — Still on PUP) — Days remaining on clock: 13

McNeill had a 50/50 chance of playing last week, according to Campbell, which is an encouraging sign that he’ll have a legitimate chance of returning this week. The Lions still have two weeks remaining on McNeill’s injury evaluation clock.

Chiefs’ initial injury report​

Note: starters are bolded.

Full practice

• QB Patrick Mahomes (groin)
• RB Kareem Hunt (calf)
• WR Xavier Worthy (shoulder/ankle)
• WR Hollywood Brown (ankle)
• WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee)
• RT Jawaan Taylor (knee)
• DT Omarr Norman-Lott (shoulder)
• DE Charles Omenihu (ankle)
• LB Nick Bolton (calf)
• LB Jeffrey Bassa (knee)
• CB Kristian Fulton (ankle)

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...1/lions-chiefs-injury-report-amon-ra-st-brown

 

[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions add Dan Skipper to 53-man roster, place CB on IR

The Detroit Lions have made a trio of roster moves in response to a few injuries. First, reserve cornerback Khalil Dorsey has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a wrist injury last week while working his way through concussion protocol. He will be forced to miss the next four games at a minimum, although coach Dan Campbell said on Monday that the special teamer would miss “a while” with his injury.

Taking his spot on the 53-man roster is veteran offensive tackle Dan Skipper, who has been on the team’s practice squad since the start of the season. Skipper has previously been the team’s backup swing tackle, but was initially beat out by Jamarco Jones and Giovanni Manu. With Jones out for the year and Manu’s up-and-down NFL debut last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, Skipper—who was battling a knee injury of his own—appears to now be in the mix for the Lions’ left tackle job. It’s unclear if starter Taylor Decker will miss more time with a shoulder injury the team is trying to manage.

“We’re going to look at everything here,” Campbell said of the left tackle position on Sunday. “Certainly, Skip’s back, so we’ll look at Skip. We brought Devin Cochran today (from the practice squad). He’s a candidate. And then we’ll see where Decker’s at, obviously. That’s always going to be our first choice to see where Decker is, but I don’t want to put Decker out there if it means that we get a couple of games and we don’t have him for the rest of the year. It makes no sense. So we’ll play this smart.”

Detroit also confirmed the earlier report that they’ve signed nickel cornerback Arthur Maulet to the practice squad.

It’s certainly notable that Terrion Arnold was not placed on injured reserve. However, Campbell noted on Wednesday that while the second opinion on Arnold’s shoulder injury was promising, they are not ruling out a long-term injury quite yet.

“There’s a second opinion that came in, and so now it’s, ‘okay, let’s see if we can strengthen it a little bit, get a little bit of inflammation out.’ I don’t know how long that’s going to be, though. I still may kinda go back to ‘he may be out a while,’” Campbell said. “But, yeah, the second opinion came back, and it sounds like it could be promising, but that’s no guarantee, either. So we’re kinda in this wait-and-see, and we’ll hold off here a little bit and see where he goes.”

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...d-dan-skipper-to-53-man-roster-place-cb-on-ir

 

[Detroit Lions]

NFL Week 6 staff picks: Moneyline, spread, over/under predictions

Before you know it, we’ll be a third of the way through the NFL season at this week’s end. No undefeated teams remain, and league-wide parity seems to be at an all-time high.

As we have done in past seasons, our staff will be making weekly predictions for every game on the NFL schedule. Each of the Pride of Detroit staff will pick the moneyline (winner of the game, no spread), but some of the members will also pick against the spread and even the over/under lines—there’s an easy-to-use toggle button in the widget below to cycle through the settings and in the week’s ahead, check out our records when it comes to making picks. You can also check out all of the odds for this week’s games courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

For the fourth (!) week in a row, Thursday’s matchup will feature a pair of division rivals squaring off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime. The Philadelphia Eagles will look to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since 2023 when they take on the New York Giants on “Thursday Night Football.”

Two teams are on bye this week, the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Texans, so the NFL has 12 games scheduled for Sunday. The International Series will kick things off once again over on NFL Network from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. At 9:30 a.m. ET, the New York Jets and head coach Aaron Glenn are hoping to end their winless streak to start the season against a Denver Broncos team headed in the other direction.

After the morning football wraps up, the local Detroit audience will have a couple of options in the 1 p.m. slot. FOX will show the Dallas Cowboys matchup with the Carolina Panthers from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Over on CBS, an AFC North showdown between the Joe Flacco-less Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers from western Pennsylvania. In the late window, CBS has Joe Flacco leading the Cincinnati Bengals against the Green Bay Packers at 4:25 p.m. ET from Lambeau Field.

“Sunday Night Football” rounds out yet another long day of football with a high-profile matchup between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.

ESPN/ABC is going to have two offerings of “Monday Night Football” once again. The first game kicks off at 7:15 p.m. ET when the Buffalo Bills face off against the Atlanta Falcons from Georgia on ESPN. Over on ABC, the Chicago Bears head to the nation’s capital to meet the Washington Commanders for an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff.

Here is who our staff is picking on the moneyline, spread, and over/under for all 14 games on the NFL Week 6 schedule:

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...picks-moneyline-spread-over-under-predictions

 

[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions’ secondary could be extremely shorthanded vs. Chiefs

With a trip opposite Patrick Mahomes on deck, the Detroit Lions are facing the daunting task of defending the All-Pro quarterback with a severely shorthanded set of defensive backs.

Already expected to be without both of their starting cornerbacks D.J. Reed (IR) and Terrion Arnold (shoulder injury), the problems may run much deeper than that with Detroit’s secondary. On Friday, both starting safeties are expected to be sidelined with injuries, per coach Dan Campbell.

Brian Branch has been dealing with with an ankle injury that has kept him limited in practice previously this week. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Branch was scheduled for an MRI this week. Campbell indicated that the news is relatively good, it shouldn’t be a long-term injury, and, in fact, he’s got a good chance to play this week.

“It will come down to how he’s going to feel for this game. But I don’t feel like this is some long-term thing by any means,” Campbell said. “I feel like we’re going to get him to the game. I really do, but we’ll see. I can’t sit here and guarantee it, either.”

It’s a little more uncertain for Kerby Joseph, who leads the team in interceptions. He has now missed the entire week of practice with a knee injury that has been lingering for the entire season.

“Just trying to be smart with them right now, and see where they both go” Campbell said of both safeties. “Neither one of them I don’t think will practice today. So, we’ll have to probably take it to game time here and see where they’re at.”

On top of that, veteran Avonte Maddox, who was in line to be the starting nickel cornerback and also provide safety depth behind the two starters, suffered a hamstring injury this week. Campbell called him a game-time decision.

“He’s another one—probably a game-time decision, if not before that,” Campbell said. “It’s how fast can you recover relative to getting ready to go. Can he make it a full game?”

In the past two weeks, the Lions have added several defensive backs to their practice squad to help overcome the injuries. Last week, they signed safety Loren Strickland to the 53-man roster while adding corners Tre Flowers and Nick Whiteside to the practice squad. This week, nickel corner Arthur Maulet was added to the practice squad, too.

While those players don’t exactly have the chemistry and practice reps of the starters, Campbell has made it a point to get them playing time this week, and he believes they’ve gotten enough work to be ready to face the Chiefs.

“We’ll be ready,” Campbell said. “We’ve got answers ready to go. We’ll have a contingency plan. So we’ll be prepared. If those (injured) guys are ready, that’s awesome. If not, that’s still awesome. We’ll play accordingly.”

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...ies-brian-branch-secondary-kansas-city-chiefs

 

[Detroit Lions]

Lions, Chiefs injury designations: 4 ruled OUT, 6 game-time decisions

The Detroit Lions (4-1) and Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) have declared their injury designations ahead of their Week 6 battle on “Sunday Night Football,” and it appears the Lions are headed toward several game-time decisions.

Let’s take a look at the latest injury report and get you up to date with what we know. Note: Any changes from the last injury report will be bolded.

Ruled OUT​

• RB Sione Vaki (groin)
• DT Alim McNeill (ACL — Still on PUP) — Days remaining on clock: 11
• LB Zach Cunningham (hamstring)
• CB Terrion Arnold (shoulder)

Vaki and Cunningham will miss their third straight game with lingering soft tissue injuries. The fact that neither landed on injured reserve suggests they could be back to practicing soon, but with a bye on the horizon in Week 8, they may not even be able to re-acclimate before that break.

McNeill will remain on the Reserve/PUP list for another week, but according to Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers, the plan is to return him ahead of the Lions’ Week 7 game against the Bucs. When he does return to action, look for the Lions to take it slow with McNeill and limit his snaps in his first game back.

“I think being smart, you get him 20, 25 plays,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of McNeill’s snap count expectations when activated. “I think being smart, that’s the right thing to do. Yup, he’d be ready for that.”

Arnold is expected to miss some time, so him being ruled out is not a surprise, but we are still waiting for more clarity on how much time he’ll be expected to miss.

Questionable​

• WR Kalif Raymond (neck)
• LT Taylor Decker (shoulder)
• OT Giovanni Manu (knee)
• DB Avonte Maddox (hamstring)
• DB Brian Branch (ankle)
• S Kerby Joseph (knee)

Raymond missed practice on Wednesday but returned to the practice field on Thursday and will have a chance to play on Sunday night. Teams are typically very cautious with neck injuries, so there’s still a possibility he sits this game out.

Decker has said that he feels improved and is working toward playing this week. However, after not practicing all week, he could be headed for another week off. That being said, he’s played in games after not practicing all week in the past, so there’s still an outside chance for him to suit up.

Manu popped up on the injury report on Thursday and missed practice on Friday. His listing as questionable gives him at least some hope of being available to play this week, if Decker doesn’t—and if Dan Skipper hasn’t jumped him on the depth chart.

Branch, Joseph, and Maddox are all considered “game-time” decisions, according to Campbell, and the loss of any one of them would force the Lions to make some significant changes in their secondary.

Branch got in two limited practices this week before having an MRI on Thursday and missing practice on Friday. Campbell said it will come down to “how he’s going to feel for this game,” but also alluded to the fact that he thought he might be available.

“I feel like we’re going to get him to the game. I really do, but we’ll see. I can’t sit here and guarantee it, either,” Campbell said.

Joseph has played after missing multiple practices in a week before, but he typically finds the practice field at least once during the week—which was not the case this time around. His status seems a bit more tenuous.

Maddox popped up on the injury report on Thursday, and like with Manu, that is typically an indicator that a player might miss the upcoming game. However, Campbell didn’t close the door on Maddox just yet, grouping him in with the other game-time decisions.

Not listed with an injury designation​

• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (wrist)

St. Brown missed practice on Wednesday but was able to return to practice on Thursday and Friday, and it looks like he’ll start against the Chiefs.

”I feel all good,” St. Brown said. “It’s been bugging me for a little (while), but (Wednesday was) just a day to really rest, get my legs back under me. Nothing to worry about. It’ll be all good.”

Chiefs’ injury designations​

Note: starters are bolded.

No injured players are listed with an injury designation

• QB Patrick Mahomes (groin)
• RB Kareem Hunt (calf)
• WR Xavier Worthy (shoulder/ankle)
• WR Hollywood Brown (ankle)
• WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee)
• RT Jawaan Taylor (knee)
• DT Omarr Norman-Lott (shoulder)
• DE Charles Omenihu (ankle)
• LB Nick Bolton (calf)
• LB Jeffrey Bassa (knee)
• CB Kristian Fulton (ankle)

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...esignations-4-ruled-out-6-game-time-decisions

 

[Detroit Lions]

Giovanni Manu to IR among wave of Detroit Lions roster moves

Ahead of the Detroit Lions’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the team made six roster moves—and two roster elevations—in the wake of injuries. Here’s a full list of the moves:

Clearing spots on the 53-man roster

• OT Giovanni Manu to injured reserve
• Waived OL Kingsley Eguakun
• Waived DL Chris Smith

Signed to the 53-man roster:

• DL Quinton Jefferson
• CB Nick Whiteside
• S Erick Hallett

Temporary elevations from the practice squad

• OL Devin Cochran
• CB Arthur Mallett

The big news here is that Manu is headed to IR, where he’ll miss at least four games. The Lions’ second-year tackle just had his first start of his NFL career as a replacement for Taylor Decker last week. However, Manu appeared on the injury report in the middle of practice week, and it appears the knee injury is significant enough to sideline him for at least a month.

The elevation of Cochran comes as zero surprise. Earlier on Saturday, the Lions ruled Decker (shoulder) out for Sunday’s game, leaving the Lions with only Penei Sewell and Dan Skipper as the healthy tackles on the roster. Cochran, who signed to the Lions’ practice squad about a month ago, has had one career start since entering the league in 2022. Skipper is now expected to start at left tackle with Cochran serving as the primary backup.

The other slew of roster moves in the secondary comes as a result of a ton of injuries to Detroit’s defensive backs. On Sunday, the Lions will be without:

• CB D.J. Reed (IR, hamstring)
• CB Terrion Arnold (shoulder)
• CB Khalil Dorsey (IR, wrist)
• DB Avonte Maddox (hamstring)

In addition to that, both starting safeties—Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph—are listed as questionable and considered game-time decisions. Hallett will provide some depth at that position while we await the availability of Branch and Joseph this week.

At cornerback, Maulet was signed to the Lions’ practice squad just this week, but he has plenty of NFL playing experience. Since entering the league in 2017, he has played in 85 games and started 23. He has the ability to play the nickel, and may even start there vs. the Chiefs, seeing as Amik Robertson is expected to start on the outside and Maddox was the primary nickel backup. Whiteside spent training camp with Detroit before rejoining the team a week ago on the practice squad. Now, he’s expected to be one of the primary backups (behind Robertson and Rock Ya-Sin) on the outside until Reed and Arnold come back.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detroit-lions-news/145260/detroit-lions-roster-moves-chiefs-game

 

[Detroit Lions]

NFL Week 6 games live chat: All afternoon games

We’re still waiting for Detroit Lions football, but the NFL has graced us with 10 NFL games between now and the Lions’ “Sunday Night Football” game against the Kansas City Chiefs. While there’s only one NFC North team in action in this window (Bengals at Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET), that makes today a great day to spend all afternoon watching RedZone. There are also some appealing individual matchups, like Seahawks vs. Jaguars (1 p.m ET) or 49ers vs. Buccaneers (4:25 p.m. ET).

This threat will allow you to chat during all of Sunday’s action. Simply scroll down to the bottom of this page and share your observations from the Week 6 games with our Pride of Detroit community. If you haven’t yet, become a member! It’s free and it improves your ad experience on the website, as well!

Here’s a reminder of this week’s slate of game, with the games being played locally in Detroit noted.

1 p.m. ET games​

• Cardinals at Colts — FOX
• Chargers at Dolphins — CBS
• Patriots at Saints — CBS
• Browns at Steelers — CBS — Local Detroit game
• Cowboys at Panthers — FOX – Local Detroit game
• Seahawks at Jaguars — FOX
• Rams at Ravens — FOX

4 p.m. ET games​

• Titans at Raiders — 4:05 p.m. ET — FOX
• Bengals at Packers — 4:25 p.m. ET — CBS – Local Detroit game
• 49ers at Buccaneers — 4:25 p.m. ET — CBS

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/game...fl-week-6-games-live-chat-all-afternoon-games

 

[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions Week 6 game ball: WR brings life to offense

Despite the 30-17 loss, there were several bright spots in the Detroit Lions’ primetime matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs that deserve recognition.

While the scoreboard wasn’t in their favor, Detroit’s offense showed encouraging signs of life, finishing with over 300 total yards. One of the team’s biggest standouts was a player who had been relatively quiet through the early part of the season.

Game ball: Jameson Williams​

Entering the game, Williams had struggled to make a consistent impact. Through the first five weeks, the former first-round pick totaled just 11 receptions for 223 yards and a touchdown. Against Kansas City, however, the fourth-year receiver delivered a much-needed breakout performance.

Many fans expressed concerns following his lack of usage in the offense after his massive three-year, $83 million extension. Williams shifted away from his usual role as a pure deep threat and instead thrived on shorter routes to accumulate 66 yards on six catches and a touchdown.

Kansas City’s defensive backs struggled to contain him on quick-breaking routes, allowing Williams to create separation early and turn several short passes into productive gains. Four of his six catches moved the chains, while another went for his lone score of the night.

Jamo powering his way into the end zone #DETvsKC NBC pic.twitter.com/nhDp2WosDz

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 13, 2025

His touchdown was the first one scored for Detroit. In the second quarter on a third-and-3, Goff hit Williams on a dig route. After the catch, Williams missed one tackle and dragged another defender with him into the endzone. On a day where the offense sputtered at times, Williams made some big plays for Detroit.

Honorable mention: Alex Anzalone​

Detroit’s linebacker corps didn’t play up to par with their performances over the past few weeks, but defensive captain Alex Anzalone quietly was able to still put up big numbers for the defense.

As an outside linebacker, his primary job was to contain Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ stable of talented running backs, as well as cover the flats and watch for short passing concepts.

Kansas City’s offense picked Detroit apart in those areas unfortunately, but Anzalone made up for it by being Detroit’s lead tackler in this game and putting together an impressive box score. The defensive captain finished the night with 12 total tackles and a QB hit on Mahomes. Though he wasn’t as strong as he should be in coverage, he still found himself near the receiver when the catch was made and often was the one making the tackle on those plays.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...ions-week-6-game-ball-jameson-williams-chiefs

 

[Detroit Lions]

NFL suspends Brian Branch 1 game for post-game fight vs. Chiefs

Per multiple reports, the NFL is suspending Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch for one game after he started a fight following the team’s 30-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan offered the following statement, per Ian Rapoport:

“Your aggressive, non-football act was entirely unwarranted, posed a serious risk of injury, and clearly violated the standards of conduct and sportsmanship expected of NFL players. Your conduct reflected poorly on the NFL and has no place in our game.”

The suspension could be appealed by Branch, but there have been no indications if he plans to do so. If Branch does not appeal or loses an appeal, he will miss the Lions’ Week 7 “Monday Night Football” game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’d be eligible to return to the team on Tuesday, October 21, during the Lions’ bye week.

UPDATE: Branch is indeed appealing the suspension, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Branch, after feeling slighted during the game when Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster blocked him aggressively in the back, took a swing at Smith-Schuster after the receiver approached him after the game. After that, the two chased each other, and Branch ended up tossing the Chiefs receiver to the ground via his facemask, as the two teams converged to pull the two apart.

Lions coach Dan Campbell said Branch’s actions had no place in this league.

“I love Brian Branch, but what he did was inexcusable,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said after the game. “It’s not going to be accepted here. It’s not what we do. It’s not what we’re about. I apologize to Coach (Andy) Reid and the Chiefs and Schuster. That’s not okay. That’s not what we do here, and it’s not going to be okay. He knows it, our team knows it. That’s not what we do.”

Branch expressed both his regret and frustration after the game, as well.

“I did a little childish thing, but I’m tired of people doing stuff in between the plays, and refs don’t catch it. They be trying to bully me out there, and I don’t even—I shouldn’t have did it. It was childish.”

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...n-branch-1-game-for-post-game-fight-vs-chiefs

 

[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions sign veteran cornerback to practice squad

The Detroit Lions announced a slew of roster moves to shake up their secondary in preparation for their Week 7 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The full list of transactions is as follows:

Signed to practice squad:

• CB Kendall Fuller
• OL Kingsley Eguakun
• DT Chris Smith

Waived:

• S Loren Strickland

The biggest move here is the addition of Fuller, a nine-year NFL veteran. A third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Fuller has started a total of 104 games in his career. He’s played for Washington on two different occasions (2016-17, 2020-23), the Chiefs (2018-19), and, most recently, the Miami Dolphins last season. In 2024, he started 11 games for Miami, producing 50 tackles, seven pass breakups, a fumble recovery, and a decent 66.2 PFF grade. In fact, Fuller has produced PFF grades of 70 or over in every season since 2017 except for two: last year and 2020.

Fuller was cut by the Dolphins in February in a move that saved nearly $3 million in cap space. It’s worth noting, too, that Fuller dealt with a pair of concussions in 2024.

At 5-foot-11, 198 pounds, Fuller has mostly played outside cornerback in his career. There, he can provide the Lions with some immediate relief, given that D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, and Avonte Maddox are all expected to miss this week’s game against the Buccaneers.

As for the other moves, Eguakun and Smith were waived on Saturday to create room for safety Erick Hallett, defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson, and cornerback Nick Whiteside. After clearing waivers, they’re back.

The waiving of Strickland is a little surprising, given the Lions are shorthanded at safety with Brian Branch suspended for a game and Kerby Joseph battling a knee injury. It would not be surprising to see Strickland return to the team’s practice squad. However, he’ll have to clear waivers first.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...ons-sign-veteran-cornerback-to-practice-squad

 

[Detroit Lions]

Survey: What’s your confidence level in the Lions after Week 6?

Each week, SB Nation tracks NFL fans’ confidence levels of their favorite teams with their Reacts Surveys posted on their team websites. For Pride of Detroit, we are tasked with gauging Detroit Lions fans’ confidence in the team heading into each game.

Following the Lions’ first loss of the season (in Week 1), fan confidence opened at a surprising 53%. But after four wins in a row (over the Bears, Ravens, Browns, and Bengals), confidence steadily rose into the mid-90s, landing at 94% last week:

Unfortunately, the Lions suffered their second loss of the season in Week 6, falling to the defending AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs in a primetime road game. As we’ve seen in this week’s power rankings, the Lions’ loss this week won’t do much to shake some people’s confidence, as the Lions simply had a bad game against one of the best teams in the NFL. For others, this loss may indicate that the Lions have more flaws than they’ve shown over the last month, and their confidence could be in flux.

Now, heading into a Week 7 NFC showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Monday Night Football,” it’s once again time to vote.

Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Detroit Lions fans and fans across the country. If you want to get these surveys emailed to you weekly, sign up here.

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/nfl-...ur-confidence-level-in-the-lions-after-week-6

 

[Detroit Lions]

Detroit Lions signing safety from Chiefs’ practice squad

The Detroit Lions continue to add to their secondary in the wake of injuries and suspensions. According to Jeremy Fowler, the Lions are signing safety Jammie Robinson off of the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad to their 53-man roster.

Robinson was originally a 2023 fifth-round pick for the Carolina Panthers. He would play in 15 games (two starts) in his rookie season, but he was waived from the team last December. He didn’t make it through waivers, though. The Arizona Cardinals claimed him, and while he didn’t make the gameday roster with them the rest of that season, he stayed with the Cardinals throughout all of training camp. When he didn’t make Arizona’s 53-man roster this season, the Chiefs quickly signed him to their practice squad.

In 21 total game appearances with the Panthers, Robinson tallied 20 total tackles over a total of 75 defensive snaps and 366 special teams snaps. In his limited defensive play, he played both nickel and box safety for Carolina.

Robinson has a couple of interesting ties to the Lions. He reportedly met with the Lions at the NFL Combine back in 2023, and prior to that, current Lions linebackers coach Shaun Dion Hamilton was his coach at the Senior Bowl.

Here’s what our own Erik Schlitt wrote about Robinson following his Combine performance:

“Robinson has a compact frame and is as quick as any defensive back in this class. His testing numbers were average, and at times during drills, he looked almost like he was focusing too much on being technically sound instead of staying loose, which led to some rigidity that likely played into those scores.

When Robinson was loose, he displayed incredibly quick feet, rapidly picking them up and down like a typewriter working its way across the page. His focus on technique did help him with efficiency in drills, but when he relaxed, his natural skills took over. One of the best examples of this was in the figure eight drills near the end of the on-field workouts, when he moved with silky acceleration, ramping up, decelerating, and ramping up again at an impressive pace.”

The Lions need depth at safety this week with Brian Branch serving a one-game suspension, Kerby Joseph’s status in jeopardy due to a knee injury, and another safety option—Rock Ya-Sin—possibly helping out with a shorthanded cornerback room.

While this move is not yet official, the Lions did have an open roster spot after cutting safety Loren Strickland earlier this week.

In October alone, the Lions have made a ton of additions in the secondary, including:

• CB Tre Flowers (practice squad)
• CB Nick Whiteside (practice squad, promoted later)
• CB Arthur Maulet (practice squad)
• CB Kendall Fuller (practice squad)
• S Jammie Robinson (active roster)

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...ons-signing-safety-from-chiefs-practice-squad

 

[Detroit Lions]

NFL Week 7 staff picks: Moneyline, spread, over/under predictions

It’s another week of football, so that means it’s another week of picks from your favorite group of football minds. Maybe that’s a step too far, but you’re here, you’re reading this, you must like us.

As we have done in past seasons, our staff will be making weekly predictions for every game on the NFL schedule. Each of the Pride of Detroit staff will pick the moneyline (winner of the game, no spread), but some of the members will also pick against the spread and even the over/under lines—there’s an easy-to-use toggle button in the widget below to cycle through the settings and in the week’s ahead, check out our records when it comes to making picks. You can also check out all of the odds for this week’s games courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

A theme has emerged for “Thursday Night Football” through five weeks now: divisional matchups. At 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime, the Pittsburgh Steelers head to the Queen’s City to take on the Cincinnati Bengals. Aaron Rodgers, 41, will meet Joe Flacco, 40, in what kids are calling “The Unc Bowl.”

Two teams are on bye this week, the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens, so the NFL has 12 games scheduled for Sunday. The International Series will kick things off once again over on NFL Network, this time from Wembley Stadium in London, England. At 9:30 a.m. ET, we’re getting a matchup worth tuning into as the Los Angeles Rams take on the Jacksonville Jaguars—London’s honorary NFL team.

After the morning football wraps up, the local Detroit audience will have a couple of options in the 1 p.m. slot. FOX will broadcast a matchup sure to earn the attention of Lions fans: the Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) square off against the Minnesota Vikings (3-2). Over on CBS, an AFC West showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) and Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) takes center stage. In the late window, FOX will have the only offering for Michiganders when the Green Bay Packers (3-1-1) head to the desert for a matchup with the free-falling Arizona Cardinals (2-4) at 4:25 p.m. ET from State Farm Field in Glendale, Arizona.

“Sunday Night Football” rounds out yet another long day of football when two NFC opponents face off in Santa Clara: the Atlanta Falcons (3-2) take on the San Francisco 49ers (4-2) from Levi’s Stadium at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.

ESPN/ABC is going to have two offerings of “Monday Night Football” for another week in a row. The first game kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET when the hometown Detroit Lions (4-2) host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1) and leading MVP candidate Baker Mayfield on ABC/ESPN. The second offering starts at 10:00 p.m. ET when the Houston Texans (2-3) travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Seahawks (4-2) on ESPN.

Here is who our staff is picking on the moneyline, spread, and over/under for all 15 games on the NFL Week 7 schedule:

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...picks-moneyline-spread-over-under-predictions

 

[Detroit Lions]

NFL Films posts weirdly insulting video of Brian Branch, then deletes it

Earlier this week, the NFL suspended Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch for starting a fight with JuJu Smith-Schuster after their game against the Kansas City Chiefs. On Wednesday, they upheld the suspension when Branch tried to appeal the decision. And on Thursday, NFL Films added insult to injury, posting a weird and insulting video as a part of their “NFL Turning Point” online show.

The video, which tries to put Branch’s frustrating night against the Chiefs into context, comes off as strangely insulting for a video produced by the league. While trying to display Branch’s increasing anger throughout the game, the video unnecessarily shows Branch getting beaten several times [Editor’s note: sometimes incorrectly assigning blame] and missing a tackle or two. They finally get to the actual highlight that is relevant to Branch’s frustrations—when JuJu Smith-Schuster throws an illegal block from the back that Branch specifically pointed to as the reason he was upset.

But perhaps even worse was the odd narration from former NFL player and front office employee Louis Riddick. Both his tone and his choice of words are over-the-top insulting. Here’s a transcript of the short clip:

“It was a long game for Lions safety Brian Branch, number 32. He got burned by (Travis) Kelce’s basketball move. He got showed up by (Patrick) Mahomes. He got juked by Xavier Worthy, and took a shot from JuJu Smith-Schuster. The turning point led to Branch’s boiling point.”

At some point during Thursday evening, the NFL realized the inappropriateness of insulting their own player like this and took down the video. However, we saved a version of it, in case you want to see it below:

Nah, nah, nah. You don’t get to put the toothpaste back in the tube, NFL.

Here’s their weird-energy video insulting Brian Branch. pic.twitter.com/8wkqibeHKB

— Jeremy Reisman (@DetroitOnLion) October 16, 2025

Source: https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detr...sulting-video-of-brian-branch-then-deletes-it