The Detroit Lions had a pair of injury scares on Sunday as training camp kept rolling, with rookie defensive end Derrick Moore and undrafted tight end Miles Kitselman both leaving practice early for evaluations.
Moore, a second-round pick, is being checked for a groin injury, according to reports. The exact moment or play that led to the issue wasn’t known, but he became the second draft pick from this year’s class to exit a practice early in as many days. That follows linebacker Jimmy Rolder, his college teammate, who also left early.
The Lions are already bracing for at least some missed time with Rolder, though they still expect him to play a role at some point during his rookie season. Detroit has also already lost wide receiver Kendrick Law for the year after he tore his ACL during offseason workouts.
Kitselman’s situation adds another layer to the day’s concern. The undrafted rookie out of Tennessee, who signed with Detroit after going unselected in this year’s draft, is being evaluated for a leg injury. He has also seen some first-team work on offense as the Lions deal with injuries at the position, and the team appears intrigued by what he brings physically even though camp has been uneven so far.
There was at least one encouraging development on the defensive line. Alim McNeill returned to action and said he had been kicked in the head during Friday’s practice, which caused his earlier exit and the follow-up evaluation.
Moore remains one of the biggest names in Detroit’s 2026 draft class. The Lions traded up in the second round to get him, and he enters camp with a reputation as an athletic edge rusher who can beat blockers with speed or power. The idea is that, with time, he could be a strong complement to Aidan Hutchinson.
Detroit also added veteran help at edge this offseason by signing D.J. Wonnum and Payton Turner. Wonnum is expected to be the primary option opposite Hutchinson, while Turner missed Sunday’s practice because of a back injury.
Elsewhere, Christian Izien was back on the field after starting camp on the Non Football Illness list. On his first day back, he was working at nickel cornerback.
The Lions also have Sam LaPorta fully cleared after the herniated disk he dealt with last year, while Tyler Conklin remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list with what was described as a calf injury suffered during OTAs.
Detroit is set to practice again Monday, with that session the first one open to the general public after Sunday’s workout was limited to season ticket holders.
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Alim McNeill remains central to that plan as he works back from injury, with Tyleik Williams and Levi Onwuzurike also in line for opportunities to help change the shape of the rush. The concern for Detroit is not just adding sacks, but creating a front that can win in multiple ways and keep opponents from keying on Hutchinson snap after snap. If that balance starts to take hold, the Lions defense could look a lot less predictable when the games get tighter. [Read more 🡒]