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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lions health watchlist for fans attending training camp
Training camp opens for the fans on July 26. For those of you attending camp, keep an eye on how these players are looking. Most of them have had an injury or a surgery with little to no game action since. Most of these players are unlikely to see a snap of preseason game action, so what you see in camp is all we get until Week 1 at Lambeau. Aidan Hutchinson (left tib/fib) - Is he working on adjusting his technique at the point of contact with the QB? A swinging, whipping leg has twice in the past two years led to a significant injury. The first time was a factor in an Alim McNeill MCL sprain. These incidents certainly could be flukes, but it would be interesting to see if he is trying to do something different with the outside leg to avoid a recurrence. David Montgomery (right MCL) - How is his burst off his right leg? After missing five weeks, he returned for seven carries in the playoff game but didn't quite look like himself yet. A major question for the offense heading in the season will be whether he can return to his pre-injury form. Alim McNeill (right ACL) - Is he doing any cutting drills? McNeill tore his ACL on December 15, so he could be doing light cutting drills anytime now. He is on PUP which means he can work out on the side, but not technically join practice. Malcolm Rodriguez (right ACL) - What is the intensity of his cutting drills? On Instagram this week, Rodriguez posted himself doing light cutting drills. A hard cut on his right leg was how he tore his ACL. We should see the intensity of these cutting drills gradually ramp up over the next few weeks. Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee) - Any signs of limitation following the knee surgery? He described it as a "clean-up" which is often done for cartilage damage. There is a great deal of variability when it comes to the impact of cartilage injuries. Jack Campbell (hip) - How does he look after hip surgery? Avoiding PUP was a great sign. Does he appear to have any limitations in camp? Brodric Martin (right knee hyperextension) - Are there any residual concerns with that right knee? Martin's knee injury was last preseason. He returned for the second half of the season but only saw 25 snaps all year. Mekhi Wingo (right knee meniscus) - What kind of workouts is he doing? Wingo had a suspected right knee meniscus repair (and possibly more) last November. He is on PUP with a projected September return which means he should be doing some fairly intense workouts soon. Khalil Dorsey (right tib/fib) - Any signs of weakness in the right ankle or leg? His fracture looked like it avoided the ankle joint but was still close to that area. If there is any ankle weakness, that could affect his lateral movements and cuts. Graham Glasgow (knees) - Is he bouncing back after a down season last year? Glasgow only missed one game last year due to a knee, but he was listed with a knee on at least one other occasion.
Washington Post
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Lions DL Levi Onwuzurike out for season after ACL surgery, setback for team with ailing Alim McNeill
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Detroit Lions defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike is out for the season after having knee surgery, a setback for a franchise that was counting on him to fill in for Alim McNeill . Lions coach Dan Campbell made the announcement Sunday morning, hours before his team had its first training camp practice of the year.
Reuters
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Lions DE Levi Onwuzurike to miss start of season
July 18 - The Detroit Lions placed defensive end Levi Onwuzurike on the reserve/physically unable to perform list on Thursday. The move to the PUP list means Onwuzurike will miss at least the first four games of the 2025 season. The Lions didn't divulge the nature of Onwuzurike's injury. Onwuzurike, 27, started 10 of 16 games played last season and had 28 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He has 3.5 sacks in 42 games with Detroit since joining the club in 2021. He missed the 2022 season with a major back injury. The Lions also placed longtime starting left tackle Taylor Decker on the active/physically unable to perform list. Decker has started all 126 games played for the team since joining the franchise in 2016. Again, Detroit didn't detail specifics about Decker's injury. Detroit also placed cornerback Khalil Dorsey, guard Miles Frazier, standout defensive tackle Alim McNeill, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo on the same list. McNeill and Wingo each sustained season-ending knee injuries in 2024 with McNeill starting a four-year, $97 million extension this season. In addition, the Lions placed defensive end John Paschal and cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver on the active/non-football injury list and released running back Anthony Tyus. --Field Level Media
NBC Sports
17-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike among Lions placed on PUP list
The Lions placed several players on their physically unable to perform list on Thursday, including a pair of defensive linemen. Alim McNeill was placed on the active version of the list, so he can be activated at any point during camp. Levi Onwuzurike is on the reserve list, so he will miss at least the first four games of the regular season before he'll be eligible to return to action. McNeill is recovering from a torn ACL and Onwuruzike has dealt with back injuries in the past. The Lions also placed left tackle Taylor Decker, cornerback Khalil Dorsey, guard Miles Frazier, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, and defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo on the active PUP list. Defensive end Josh Paschal and cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver are on the active non-football injury list and they can also be activated at any point. Running back Anthony Tyus was waived with a non-football illness designation.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lions raining camp medical preview: Defensive tackles
The Lions rookies report to training camp today with the veterans to follow later. So let's start the training camp medical preview with the defensive tackle position. This position may have the most medical question marks on the entire team - which may be a big reason for the selection of Tyleik Williams in the 1st round of the draft. In 2024, the Lions only kept four DT's on the initial 53-man roster (Alim McNeill, DJ Reader, Levi Onwuzurike, Mekhi Wingo), so there may not be many spots up for grabs. Here is the list of DT's starting with the players with the biggest medical question marks entering the season. Ages are at the start of the season. #1: Alim McNeill - 25yo While there isn't much long-term concern with the ACL, there are definitely short-term ramifications. Due to the late-season timing of the injury, McNeill likely won't be ready until mid-November. Even when he returns, it will take him time to get back to his previous level of performance. He may not get back to where he was until the 2026 season. Projection: McNeill will start camp on PUP (physically unable to perform list) and stay on it for a few weeks into the season. With an estimated 11-month return-to-play, he triumphantly returns on November 16 (Week 11) in an important clash vs the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. His snaps and production are limited at first, but by the end of the regular season, he is showing increasing flashes of his old self. #2: Mekhi Wingo - 22yo Last year as a rookie, Wingo's season ended with a reported meniscus tear - but there are no specifics beyond that. His duration of absence suggests that he had a meniscus repair as opposed to a simple trim. A repair might have a better long-term outcome but carries a longer absence in the short-term. He was still limited at OTA last month which raises some concern. His status for the start of training camp is a mystery. Projection: His meniscus injury should be ready by the start of camp, but a stint on PUP is possible. If the Lions decide to play the roster management game, they could choose to extend his PUP stay into the season. If he comes off PUP during camp, he almost certainly makes the 53-man roster based on his age and promising play last season. #3: Brodric Martin - 26yo Martin had a disappointing 2nd-season playing just 25 defensive snaps all year. The hope is that the lost season was simply due to the preseason knee injury that is now healed up. However, he was still limited at OTA in June which could be a harbinger of what's to come on cutdown day. Projection: If he's a full participant at the start of camp, there is hope he can rebound from last season. He'll have an extra preseason game (4 total) this year to prove himself worthy of his 3rd-round status. #4: DJ Reader - 31yo Coming off a ruptured quad tendon, Reader rebounded impressively last season by playing in 16 games. This offseason, he stated he was healthy and did not have any surgeries. His main concern going forward is durability due to the history of bilateral quad tendon tears and his age of 31. His limited participation in OTA was likely for precautionary reasons. Projection: Reader will pick up where he left off last year as a solid starter in the middle of the line. His snap count will need to be managed throughout the season to keep him healthy. #5: Levi Onwuzurike - 27yo This former 2nd-rounder's unprecedented recovery from this kind of back surgery has been remarkable. But the fusion carries durability concerns the rest of his career. Those concerns may have been why he was only able to secure a modest, 1-year contract ($4 million plus incentives) this offseason as an unrestricted free agent. While he was very reliable last season playing in 17 of 18 games, his reliability going forward remains something to watch. He had a limited participation in OTA likely to minimize his workload. Projection: Onwuzurike will be ready for the start of the season and be a key rotational DT. His workload both in practice and games may need to be managed given his back history. #6: Tyleik Williams - 22yo This rookie 1st-rounder will be counted on to make an immediate impact with McNeill out. His offseason was hampered due to a presumed mild hamstring strain suffered during his pro day in March. While he was still limited at OTA in June, he'll likely be ready for the start of training camp. Projection: Williams should be fully ready for the start of the season and play a significant percentage of snaps. #7: Myles Adams - 27yo Adams was surprisingly a limited participant in OTA despite being medically clean throughout his career. He played 82 defensive snaps last season without an issue. His status for the start of camp is worth watching. Projection: The practice-squad seems the likely role for Adams. #8: Pat O'Connor - 31yo O'Connor performed well last season as a backup. He was logging a significant percentage of snaps (~50%) towards the end of the year as defensive line injuries mounted. A calf injury ended his season in the final regular season game, but that's not a concern anymore as he was a full participant at OTA. Projection: Given his solid performance last year, he has an excellent chance to earn a job as a key backup this season. Whether O'Connor makes the 53-man roster may depend on the play of the younger players during preseason. #9: Roy Lopez - 28yo After four reliable years in the NFL, Lopez might have the cleanest bill of health of the entire defense, which bodes well for his durability going forward. The Lions seem to agree, as they gave him a 1-year, $3.5 million (plus incentives) contract that was mostly guaranteed. Projection: He'll make the 53 man roster and play a lot throughout the season. #10: Chris Smith - 25yo Smith played 47 defensive snaps last year which was his first regular season action in the NFL. He should be fully healthy going into the season. Projection: As one of the younger members of this group, Smith will be in the mix to earn a practice-squad, backup role with the team. Expect to see him a lot in preseason games. #11: Raequan Williams - 28yo Williams hasn't played in the NFL since 2021 which suggests he's a long-shot to make the team. He was on IR all last season with the Panthers for undisclosed reasons. Projection: It would be a surprise to see him make the 53-man roster.
