The Detroit Lions are aiming to return to the playoffs in 2026, and will get to start the season against a team that’s already quite banged up.
The Lions are heading into their Week 1 game against the New Orleans Saints as favorites by a touchdown, due in part to the injuries that the Saints racked up through training camp and the preseason. The Saints are expected to be without several key players when the teams take the field on September 13.
Saints Hit With Injury Bug Against Lions
As Christian Booher of SI.com noted, Saints head coach Kellen Moore revealed several injury setbacks for the season opener.
“Among the players who will officially be out for the Saints are linebacker Jaylan Ford, wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and safety Lorenzo Styles. All three are on injured reserve, with Ford and Tyson being placed on their at roster cut down day with designations to return. Styles, meanwhile, was placed on injured reserve after cut day.”
While Booher noted that all three players would return at some point this season, none will be ale to take the field against the Lions on Sunday.
“In particular, losing Tyson is a big blow as he was the team’s No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft and was expected to be a big contributor,” Booher wrote.
But the setbacks don’t end there, with veterans Alvin Kamara and Cameron Jordan both dealing with injuries that could knock them out of Sunday’s game.
Lions Also Hit With Injuries in the Secondary
The Lions have their own injury concerns heading into the 2026 season, especially in the back end of their secondary. Safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph were both placed on the reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list last week, keeping them out for at least four weeks to start the regular season.
Joseph was hit with a knee injury and Branch is still rehabbing a torn Achilles. While there is no exact timeline for when either of them will hit the field, Lions general manager Brad Holmes said he was confident both would be back on the field.
“We still have confidence that they can come back,” Holmes said, via ESPN. “You just can’t really give an exact timeline. But they’re both here, they’re rehabbing, they’re working hard. We just can’t offer a timeline. But yeah, the hope is to have both of them back soon.”
Lions Catch a Break on Week 1 Opponent’s Injury Report