The Detroit Lions (8-8) and Chicago Bears (11-5) have announced their initial injury reports as they prepare to face off in Week 18.
While the Lions don’t plan to rest any of their veterans to get a look at younger players, coach Dan Campbell acknowledged that he will consider shutting down players who have been dealing with season-long injuries or who could risk further injury by playing. In those situations, they will put their next best player on the field to try to win the game. Furthermore, Campbell noted that there’s a difference between players who are injured and players who are just working through the aches and pains of the regular season—the latter of which he expects them to play.
At the end of the day, while logical, this approach complicates our ability to analyze an already messy injury list properly. As always, we’ll do our best to decipher the daily injury reports, but don’t be surprised if there are a few unexpected outcomes this week.
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 reserve updates
- TE Brock Wright (neck, IR)
- OT Giovanni Manu (knee, IR) — Evaluation clock started
- LB Zach Cunningham (hamstring, IR)
With neither Wright nor Cunningham returning to practice this week, it looks like their season could be over.
No practice
- WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee/ankle) — reaggravated in Week 17
- RT Penei Sewell (ankle) — reaggravated in Week 17
- LG Christian Mahogany (illness) — New ailment
- OL Kayode Awosika (illness) — New ailment
- IOL Trystan Colon (wrist)
- DT Alim McNeill (abdomen) — reaggravated injury in Week 17
- LB Alex Anzalone (concussion) — injured in Week 17
- SAF Thomas Harper (concussion) — injured in Week 17
St. Brown appeared to be bothered by his existing knee injury in Week 17 and is considered “day-to-day” by coach Dan Campbell. While his availability is still in question for this weekend, Campbell noted that St. Brown “wants to go” and his injury is not long-term, which means there’s a chance he can play against Chicago.
Sewell appeared to aggravate his ankle injury in Week 17, but he managed to play through it. It’s possible that he missed this practice because it was a maintenance day, or it could be a sign that he made it worse. We’ll likely find out more in the coming days.
Mahogany and Awosika have been on the injury report for lower-body injuries in recent weeks, but it looks like they’ve put those injuries behind them. However, they are the latest players to deal with an illness that has been making its way through the locker room.
Colon has been dealing with a wrist injury for a few weeks now, and while it’s limited him at separate times, he’s also shown he’s been able to play through it.
McNeill appeared to aggravate his abdominal injury early in Week 17 and was forced from the game. Like with most players on the report this week, his status is very much up in the air.
Anzalone and Harper were both concussed in Week 17 and are currently in the NFL’s concussion protocol. It’s a wait-and-see approach for both defensive starters.
Limited practice
- LT Taylor Decker (shoulder/illness) — upgraded from no practice
- OT Giovanni Manu (knee) — Days remaining in injury evaluation clock: 7
- DB Avonte Maddox (back/illness) — upgraded from no practice
Decker hasn’t quite put his illness behind him, and his season-long shoulder injury is still keeping him on the injury report.
“The plan is to get Decker going,” Campbell said on Wednesday. “He wants to play. I mean, he wanted to play last week, but he looked like he was about six inches from the grave. It was unfortunate. But barring anything this week, he’ll be ready to go.”
Manu continues to work his way through the injury evaluation window. While there is no guarantee he is activated for the Lions’ final game, with the other injuries on the offensive line, they may need him for depth purposes.
Maddox missed last week’s game, but a return to practice is a good sign that he may be able to play against Chicago. With Harper’s status up in the air, the Lions would benefit from Maddox’s return to help stabilize a safety position that has been decimated by injury.
No longer on the injury report
- RB David Montgomery (illness)
- WR Tom Kennedy (abdomen)
- C Graham Glasgow (knee)
- EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad (knee)
- EDGE Marcus Davenport (shoulder)
- CB Amik Robertson (hand)
- CB Khalil Dorsey (illness)
The players in this section no longer have an ailment significant enough to keep them on the injury report.
After missing Week 16, Glasgow was healthy enough to be active in Week 17 but only enough to contribute in a reserve role. Now, with even more time to heal, Glasgow is “feeling a lot better,” according to Campbell, and is expected to return to his starting center role this Sunday.
Robertson has been dealing with a hand injury for nearly a month now, and his play has been limited, with him requiring a club on his hand to play. With him no longer needed to be listed on the injury report, it will be interesting to see if his role increases in Week 18.
Bears’ initial injury report
Note: Starters are bolded.
Did not practice on Wednesday
- WR Rome Odunze (foot)
- DL Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (concussion)
Limited participants
- WR Luther Burden III (quad)
- OT Ozzy Trapilo (knee/quad)
- DB Josh Blackwell (shoulder)
- SAF Nick McCloud (illness)
Full participants
- WR Olamide Zaccheaus (illness)
Injured Reserve
- LB Noah Sewell (ankle) — was placed on IR on Wednesday
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