The Detroit Lions are getting closer to full strength, and Dan Campbell says several key names should be back on the field at practice in short order.
Before Saturday afternoon’s training camp session, Campbell said rookie defensive end Derrick Moore, running back Sione Vaki and cornerback D.J. Reed are all working their way back in over the next couple of days. He said the team will bring them along gradually.
“We’ll work those guys progressively, get them back every day a little bit more and more, providing no setbacks."
Not every injury update was as clean. The Lions are expected to add running back Trayveon Williams because the position has been hit by injuries, and two backs came out of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals dealing with issues.
Jacob Saylors, who turned heads in the preseason opener, is likely to miss a couple of days of practice with an ankle injury. Kye Robichaux could be out even longer, with Campbell saying he may have a broken bone in his foot.
Saylors’ performance against Cincinnati put him squarely in the conversation for a 53-man roster spot, and Campbell made clear he liked what he saw. He called Saylors the team’s most productive player in that game and pointed to the kind of all-around value he brings.
“If there was to take anything positive out of that game, he was most of it. He does have a little juice.
He played some special teams last year and that’s going to be big for that role because we know those two backs (Jahmyr Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco) at the top and we know what Vaki is, he’s one of the best special teams players in the league," said Campbell. "So, if that fourth running back is going to make it, he’s going to need to help on special teams.”
Elsewhere on the depth chart, veteran Juice Scruggs is also expected back at practice as he competes for the center job. Scruggs came to Detroit in the trade that sent running back David Montgomery to the Texans.
In Other News...
Lions Rookie Is Putting Real Pressure On A Veteran's Role
After the Lions first preseason game of 2026, Keith Abney II has started to get a longer look with the first-team defense in training camp, and that alone says plenty about where the rookie corner stands. Detroit is sorting through its nickel back options, and Abney has worked himself into the conversation with the kind of physical presence that can matter in that role, especially as a run defender and tackler.
Roger McCreary is still in the mix, but the competition has clearly shifted enough to make the battle worth watching. The Lions nickel depth also includes Ennis Rakestraw Jr., who is trying to win an outside corner job, so there is still plenty to sort out in the secondary. For now, Abney has given Detroit a younger option with real momentum, and the next stretch of camp should tell whether that momentum turns into a lasting hold on the role. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Bubble Battle Gets Real For These Fringe Offensive Players
The Lions are heading into their second preseason game against Washington with several fringe offensive players trying to make their case, and the first exhibition offered a mixed picture. Quarterback Luke Altmyer, running back Jacob Saylors, and receivers Dominic Lovett, Tarik Black and Cedrick Wilson all got their chances against Cincinnati, with some showing enough to keep the conversation going and others still needing cleaner tape before the roster picture sharpens.
Up front, the margin looks even thinner for Miles Frazier and Michael Niese, both of whom need stronger practices to stay in the mix. With roster cuts looming and every rep carrying extra weight, this week becomes less about development and more about whether a handful of young offensive players can steady themselves before the preseason starts to feel a lot more like a job interview. [Read more 🡒]
Isaac TeSlaa Just Gave Lions Fans A Reason To Reconsider Him
Isaac TeSlaa has had a camp that has matched the usual rookie roller coaster in Detroit, with early practices bringing some drops and a few moments where he had trouble creating separation. But the Lions wideout gave himself a cleaner snapshot in a recent session when he worked into the end zone on a fade from Jared Goff, a reminder that the tools that made him interesting in the first place are still there even as he works through the usual learning curve.
TeSlaa has been honest about where the next step has to come, saying his game still needs refinement in the finishing phase after those early struggles. He also has not sounded shaken by the inconsistency, pointing to his confidence in catching the football and his belief that the more reps he gets, the more the details around his routes and final movement will start to catch up. [Read more 🡒]