First Detroit Lions' Week 7 injury report not nearly as bad as it could've been

After a big win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6, the Detroit Lions will now travel to the Twin Cities to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7. If the Lions win, they can take over first place in the NFC North.

The big injury headline for the Lions this week is of course the season-ending leg injury for defensive end Aidan Hutchinson from last Sunday. He had surgery to repair a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg, and he as formally placed on IR Tuesday. On Wednesday, head coach Dan Campbell revealed Hutchinson is back in Michigan.

“He’s doing good,” Campbell said. “Now, he’s trying to process everything, it’s still pretty new and so just exactly, ‘What is this? Where do I go?’ Which you would expect, I mean he’s laying in the hospital room with his leg up, but he’s back and I know that he didn’t want to be a stranger. I know he talked about being back a little bit when it made sense, and he knows he’s welcome here anytime, and we would love to see him. The whole team would love to see him. He’s a huge part of what we are and we hate it for him.”

Defensive tackle Kyle Peko suffered a season-ending torn pectoral against Dallas, and he was also placed on IR Tuesday.

Some observations from the portion of Wednesday's practice that was open to reporters easily became cause for some level of concern.

As it turned out, the practice report was more of a mixed bag.

First Lions' Week 7 practice report not as bad as initially thought

Here's Wednesday's practice report for the Lions.

• CB Carlton Davis (quad)-Non-participant
• C Frank Ragnow (rest)-Non-participant
• OG Kevin Zeitler (rest)-Non-participant
• DB Brian Branch (knee)-Limited participant
• OT Dan Skipper (ribs-Non-participant
• OG Christian Mahogany (illness)-Full participant

So Ragnow and Zeitler each got a veteran rest day on Wednesday.

Davis left the game against the Cowboys after losing his helmet and being kicked in the head by a teammate. On Monday, per Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network, Davis cleared concussion protocol and could have returned to the game (had it been competitive, presumably). The quad injury is a new injury, but Campbell did not seem overly concerned about Davis' availability for Sunday.

Branch's injury is also a new one. He didn't play late against Dallas, but no Lions' starters did. Alongside Davis, Thursday's practice report will be interesting regarding Branch's level of participation.

Skipper had a rib issue before the bye week, so he may have aggravated it against the Cowboys.

Mahogany had his 21-day activation window opened last week, and after Wednesday there are 12 days left before the Lions have to add him to the 53-man roster or shut him down for the season. It may go right down to the wire.

Here is the Vikings' first injury report for Week 7. Former Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson was a limited participant on Wednesday, as he nears a return from the torn ACL he suffered against his former team last Christmas Eve.

• LB Blake Cashman (toe)-DNP
• CB Akayleb Evans (hip)-DNP
• OLB Patrick Jones II (shoulder)-DNP
• RB Aaron Jones (hip)-DNP
• DT Harrison Phillips (shoulder)-DNP
• TE T.J. Hockenson (knee)-Limited (on IR)
• OG Dalton Risner (back)-Limited (on IR)
• S Theo Jackson (hand)-Full participant
• TE Josh Oliver (wrist)-Full participant