The Detroit Lions may enter Sunday’s opener against the New Orleans Saints with just one player carrying an injury designation.
Defensive back Christian Izien is listed as questionable after a third straight limited practice because of a groin injury. Detroit’s Friday report was otherwise clean, with no other players tagged for game status.
“He's doing well. We felt really good about him.
He's close. I want to see what he looks like running around today and then knowing that we're going on a short week after this, that'll have a bearing on it, too.
But, he's moving around really well. I feel like he's a little ahead of schedule in a good way.
We'll see,” Campbell said of Izien's injury status on Friday morning.
Izien, 26, joined the Lions on a one-year, $2 million contract in March. Three limited practices in a row leave him in a tough spot to be active on Sunday, and the timing gets even trickier with Detroit’s Week 2 game against the Buffalo Bills coming Thursday, Sept.
- If he sits out the opener, there’s a real chance he misses both of the Lions’ first two games of 2026.
Over his first three NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Izien appeared in 45 games and made 15 starts. He finished that stretch with 165 tackles, five passes defended, three interceptions and three forced fumbles.
Elsewhere on the injury report, seven other Lions were listed as full participants on Friday: rookie EDGE Derrick Moore (hamstring), defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo (groin), cornerbacks Keith Abney II (hand) and Ennis Rakestraw (ankle), linebackers Trevor Nowaske (knee) and Jimmy Rolder (hamstring), and safety Thomas Harper (ankle).
Detroit and New Orleans are set to kick off at 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Ford Field on Fox, with Izien’s final game status due to be updated that morning.
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