Getty Da'Shawn Hand celebrates with Romeo Okwara in 2018.
The Detroit Lions were dinged pretty severely last week as they played two physical NFC North battles, but finally, the team is seeing a little bit of health in a few key ways as they get set to attack Week 8.
While the Lions have a few players still wounded and will watch their statuses closely, the team has some decent health overall coming back to the forefront, embodied by the full return of a key defensive lineman that’s been missing since camp. Thursday brought the return of yet another lineman.
Here’s a look at the Lions injury statuses and designations for the week.
Nick Bawden, FB
Wednesday: No practice (Foot)
Thursday: Limited practice
Bawden, the team’s fullback, surfaces on the list this week with a foot injury. He didn’t do anything on Wednesday, which certainly paints his ability to return in time for Sunday’s game in question. Bawden is an important part of the running game, so the Lions will miss him in a big way up front if he cannot go. He came back to practice Thursday.
Mike Daniels, DT
Wednesday: No practice (Foot)
Thursday: Limited practice
The Lions didn’t have Daniels in Green Bay and he didn’t play against Minnesota, and it doesn’t look like he will be a go this week as the team gets going again. He missed practice another day this week with the same injury that has kept him out of the last two games. The Lions are trying to nurse Daniels back to health, but it’s fair to wonder if this injury was worse than Matt Patricia led on when he said it was a day to day thing a few weeks back. Daniels did return on Thursday for the first time in just over a month.
Darius Slay, CB
Wednesday: No practice (Hamstring)
Thursday: No practice
Slay played last week in spite of hamstring trouble, which was left over from a few weeks back in Philadelphia. It didn’t seem to give Slay much trouble in Green Bay, but he was injured quickly in the game against the Vikings, and missed badly as the Minnesota offense carved the Lions up. With Slay sitting out, it’s fair to wonder if the Lions can get him back in time in order to play a big role. No practice two straight days is a bad sign for him.
Amani Oruwariye, CB
Wednesday: Limited practice (Knee)
Thursday: Limited practice
The Lions didn’t have Oruwariye last week in addition to the week before that, and with him being limited at cornerback, his status is once again up in the air this weekend when the team faces the Giants. Obviously, the knee injury is going to take some time to shake off, which looks to be the case. He’s limited, but will be worth watching to see if the Lions rush him back.
Da’Shawn Hand, DL
Wednesday: Full practice (Elbow)
Thursday: Full practice
The Lions keep trying to inch Hand back to health and building off a solid week last week in which he was limited late, he finally comes back full this week. That’s good news for the Lions, who need Hand to return to impact their defensive front. This might not mean much for his status this week, as the Lions got him back on the field last week and then held him out of the game. Detroit could miss Hand another week as they attempt to ease him back off the elbow, but at the very least, this is progressing in the right way. The fact he practices two straight days is a good thing.
Damon Harrison, DT
Wednesday: Full practice (Groin)
Thursday: No practice (Resting veteran)
Harrison was lost in the game against the Vikings, but the good news is he was merely limited to start the week. The Lions can ill afford to miss Harrison’s big body up front, so they will have to hope he can get back in time. The rest he gets Thursday could set him up to feel better for the weekend.
Matthew Stafford, QB
Wednesday: Full practice (Hip)
Thursday: Full practice
Stafford, unsurprisingly, played and played well in Green Bay and then against Minnesota with the same injury. The hip injury is still bothering him obviously, but it’s not wise to think he will do anything other than play all things considered as tough as Stafford always is, especially when he’s been showing up in practice routinely.