A flurry of injuries have already hit the Detroit Lions' training camp ahead of their first preseason game next Thursday, with one specific injury catching fans' eyes. Running back Sione Vaki suffered a broken nose in training camp on Monday, and head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Tuesday that he'll be out for a while as he recovers from that.
This leaves Detroit quite thin at two positions this week: at running back with Jahmyr Gibbs still holding in for an extension, and at returner with Vaki competing for a spot on special teams against newcomer Greg Dortch.
Dortch, on the flip side, has been turning up in camp so far. Campbell noted how eye-popping some of Dortch's work as a return man have been in camp as recently as last Friday, and that the biggest question around his impact for the Lions' roster is where he'll fit in - as a returner, or as a regular receiver, or both.
With Vaki's injury, that fit is looking more and more like it will be found with Detroit's special teams unit.
Dortch could really nail down fit after Vaki injury
Vaki will still get the opportunity to compete not only for a role with the Lions' special teams unit, but as Gibbs' backup headed into 2026. However, this injury definitely sets his work back a bit with competition from Dortch, Tom Kennedy, and Isiah Pacheco all likely to turn up.
The former Arizona Cardinals playmaker has the speed and strength to help the Lions' return unit go from middling to top-tier, especially if he could split some reps with Kennedy this season. Both have proven to have explosiveness as returners, and both have been fairly healthy over the last few seasons. That's already an advantage over Vaki, who has struggled at times to stay on the field.
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This is a make or break camp for Vaki, who is amongst the players that provided some less than stellar play from the 2024 Lions draft class.
He has a golden opportunity to earn a roster spot this season with a bit of an open competition on both special teams and in the Lions' running back room, and any missed time does him a disservice. You can't prevent something like a poked eye and a punched nose due to a hand slipping through your face mask - it's a freak accident. But, it doesn't lessen the impact of the injury, obviously.
Dortch might be asked to step up at WR3 if Isaac TeSlaa can't get a hold on that spot of the roster, but right now, it feels like his best shot at landing a consistent role with the team will be as a returner. That leaves Vaki vulnerable if he can't pop at running back, or with special teams.
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