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Detroit Lions Missing Four Key Players at Thursday Practice
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- Detroit Lions Missing Four Key Players at Thursday Practice
The Detroit Lions are preparing for Sunday's matchup against the Miami Dolphins, but their growing injury concerns aren't going away. Thursday's practice was the first full one of the week, and it did not clear anything up.
According to Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network, four key players were absent from the portion of Thursday's practice open to the media.Those players were Jack Campbell, Cade Mays, D.J. Reed, and DJ Wonnum, all of whom were listed as nonparticipants on Wednesday's estimated injury report.
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed breaks a pass intended for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Four Lions Absent From Thursday's Media-Access Practice
Rogers provided the following update from Allen Park on Thursday afternoon.
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"No Mays, Reed, Wonnum or Campbell at the portion of practice open to the media today."
Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reported the same four absences from Thursday's media window, and noted that Reed, Mays and Wonnum were all hurt in Sunday's 19-15 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
The news comes one day after the Lions released their initial Week 9 injury report , which included 10 players dealing with various injuries. Detroit held a walkthrough on Wednesday rather than a full practice, so those participation designations were estimates.
Here's a look at the four players and their reported injuries:
| Player |
Position |
Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Campbell |
LB |
Neck |
| Cade Mays |
C |
Ankle |
| D.J. Reed |
CB |
Hip |
| DJ Wonnum |
EDGE |
Concussion |
While Thursday's absences are concerning, Rogers' observation covers only the media-access portion of practice. The official Thursday participation report will provide a more complete picture of each player's status.
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Lions Could Be Without Multiple Starters Against Miami
The biggest concern remains Jack Campbell, who continues recovering from the frightening neck injury he suffered against Minnesota.
As we previously reported following Campbell's emotional statement , the linebacker revealed Wednesday that he has full movement in his lower body and is making progress with movement in his upper body.
Meanwhile, Mays' ankle injury could force Detroit to start Juice Scruggs at center against the Dolphins.
As we previously covered when Dan Campbell discussed Detroit's center situation , the Lions have been preparing Scruggs for an expanded role following his impressive performance against Minnesota.
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Reed's hip injury creates another potential problem in the secondary, while Wonnum continues working through the NFL's concussion protocol.
The secondary was already thin on Wednesday's report. Brian Branch was limited with a concussion and Kerby Joseph was limited with a knee injury, which leaves Detroit short of healthy bodies on the back end heading into Miami.
The Bottom Line
The Lions have another important practice scheduled for Friday before traveling to Miami for Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff, and the next official injury report should provide a clearer indication of who might be available.
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For now, Detroit continues preparing for the possibility of playing without several important starters.With Jack Campbell recovering, Mays dealing with an ankle injury, Reed nursing a hip issue, and Wonnum in concussion protocol, Dan Campbell's roster depth could face another significant test Sunday.
