Monday was Day 8 of training camp for the Detroit Lions, and Day 3 with pads on. There were some scuffles, as there tends to be a few days into only being able to hit each other, but there were also a couple notable injury returns.
Wide receiver Marvin Jones was a surprise addition to the NFI list to open camp. He never seemed too impacted by what head coach Dan Campbell called a back issue, seen doing work off to the side all along. On Monday, he came off the NFI list and practiced in full.
Wide receiver Jameson Williams missed a few days with a leg injury, before being back on the field for Sunday's light session. He had a notable first padded practice of this camp, for the good (a block to spring Jahmyr Gibbs), good/bad (a couple fights with Starling Thomas), and ugly (a couple drops). But he was out there, which is important for him with a looming six-game suspension to start the season.
Detroit Lions injury report: Day 8 of training camp
Edge rusher James Houston and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin were injured during the team's last padded practice on Saturday. Reeves-Maybin was back practicing in full on Monday, while Houston took limited reps.
Right tackle Penei Sewell will not return from concussion protocol until at least Wednesday.
The biggest injury headline from Lions' camp on Monday was related to tight end Shane Zylstra. Reporters on site at Allen Park were not optimistic, based on how it looked and Zylstra's reaction.
#Lions TE Shane Zylstra exited practice with what appeared to be a lower leg injury after taking CB Khalil Dorsey. He had to be helped off the field.
— Kory E. Woods (@KoryEWoods) July 31, 2023
Shane Zylstra taken to the locker room with a right let injury after getting hit low by cornerback Khalil Dorsey. Not an illegal hit, but definitely not the kind you want to deliver against a teammate in practice.
— Justin Rogers (@Justin_Rogers) July 31, 2023
The Detroit Lions Podcast Jeff Risdon reports from Detroit Lions Training Camp about an injury scare for tight end Shane Zylstra. #shorts #trainingcamp #det... https://t.co/HMI0frGHOR
— The Lions Wire (@thelionswire) July 31, 2023
Zylstra is battling for a spot on the Lions' tight end depth chart, and by all accounts he has had a good camp so far. Given the questionable nature of the hit, nicely summed up as "not the kind you want to deliver against a teammate in practice" by Justin Rogers of The Detroit News, there's a chance cornerback Khalil Dorsey is not much longer for the Lions' 90-man roster.
The Lions have a players' day off on Tuesday, so the next practice will come on Wednesday. An update on Zylstra should come before that practice .