The Detroit Lions will be "on the road again" in Week 9, as they'll face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in FOX's marquee game for the week.
Speaking before Wednesday's practice, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he would "hold some guys out" for recovery. So the list of players who were not seen at practice was not overly surprising, with a couple injuries that occurred during last Sunday's game.
The first day of the practice week is a rest day for veterans sometimes, but we have seen where a supposed "rest day" on Wednesday evolved into an injury and eventually a missed game (see Lions guard Kevin Zeitler in Week 7).
With the caveat of what Wednesday practice reports can be, in terms of not necessarily being concerning if someone misses, here's the first practice report of Week 9 for the Lions.
- OG Graham Glasgow (rest): Non-participant
- C Frank Ragnow (rest): Non-participant
- DL Levi Onwuzurike (rest): Non-participant
- OG Kevin Zeitler (rest): Non-participant
- DT DJ Reader (rest): Non-participant
- QB Jared Goff (ankle): Non-participant
- DL Josh Paschal (illness): Non-participant
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle): Non-participant
- OT Taylor Decker (chest): Non-participant
- RB Sione Vaki (knee): Non-participant
- DT Brodric Martin (knee): Full participant
Glasgow, Ragnow, Zeitler and Onwuzurike also got a rest day last Wednesday, and Reader was another "big" added to the list of players resting on Wednesday this week.
Goff rolled his ankle last Sunday against the Titans, so his being held out of the first practice of the week was not a surprise. During his weekly appearance on 97.1 The Ticket, he said he's fine and on Wednesday he told reporters he expects to practice on Thursday.
Rodriguez suffered an ankle injury very early in the game against the Titans, and on Monday NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported he's likely to miss Week 9 but it's not considered a long-term injury.
Decker being listed with a chest injury is new, and the level of concern is unclear. Thursday's practice report might be telling.
Paschal missed Week 8 after something came up during a routine annual cancer check-up (not cancer-related, in terms of it returning). On Wednesday, Campbell said "TBD" regarding if the third-year man will play against the Packers.
Vaki was seen working off to the side during Wednesday's practice working with trainers on an exercise bike. He was not clearly injured against Tennessee, but he was not seen in the locker room after the game-as is common for players injured during a game.
The Lions have started the 21-day window to put Martin on the 53-man roster. The second-year man has yet to play this season due to a knee injury he suffered in the preseason finale, which landed him on IR.
The Packers' first injury report for the week was similarly lengthy
- CB Jaire Alexander (knee): Non-participant
- RB Josh Jacobs (ankle): Non-participant
- QB Jordan Love (groin): Non-participant
- OG Elgton Jenkins (glute): Non-participant
- OT Rasheed Walker (knee): Non-participant
- C Josh Myers (wrist): Non-participant
- FS Evan Williams: Non-participant
- CB Corey Ballentine (ankle): Limited participant
- DT Kenny Clark (toe/shoulder): Limited participant
- DL Devonte Wyatt (ankle): Limited participant
- LB Quay Walker (concussion): Full participant
