The Detroit Lions have the benefit some extra time between their season opener and Sunday's home opener against the Seattle Seahawks. So any immediate concern over left tackle Taylor Decker's ankle injury, and being in a walking boot after the game against the Chiefs, seemed sure to be much ado about little or nothing.
Then Decker missed practice on Tuesday, was listed as out on Wednesdays' practice estimation and he also sat out on Thursday. So it's not looking for Decker to play on Sunday, and his status (pending Friday's final injury report for the week) was going to be the top topic when Dan Campbell spoke to the media before Friday's practice.
Campbell also had some other injury updates on Friday.
Dan Campbell offers some no-so great Lions injury updates
On Decker:
#Lions coach Dan Campbell says Taylor Decker (ankle) is a "little less than questionable." He says there's still a chance, but "more of an outside shot."
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) September 15, 2023
Decker is certainly not trending toward playing against the Seahawks. He is definitely someone who doesn't have to practice in order to play, but Campbell has practically declared him doubtfil for Sunday.
On Emmanuel Moseley:
Dan Campbell said Taylor Decker is "a little less than questionable." And he doesn't see Emmanuel Moseley playing Sunday. So Lions could be without their starting LT.
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) September 15, 2023
Per this week's practice reports, Moseley has added a hamstring issue to his ongoing recovery from a torn ACL. So it wasn't looking great for him to make his Lions' debut on Sunday, and it appears he will indeed be out.
On DE Josh Paschal:
Taylor Decker is "less than questionable" and only has "an outside shot" for the game on Sunday, per Dan Campbell. Doesn't sound good. Josh Paschal also had an "episode" at practice yesterday and won't go today
— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) September 15, 2023
Josh Paschal might be out for a little bit, per Dan Campbell, although the Lions don't think it'll be long term
— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) September 15, 2023
Paschal was injured in practice on Thursday, what Campbell described as an "episode." It sounds like the second-year man will miss some time, but whatever the injury is not considered long-term/season-ending. Earlier this week, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn pointed to Paschal seeing a bigger role after playing just 17 snaps but making a key third down stop in Week 1.
"It doesn’t surprise me at all that he was effective in that manner,” defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said of Paschal this week. “I expect him to continue to grow in the positions that we have him in, so you will see him out there more. I think he had like maybe 30 plays. He’s continuing to grow so you’ll see him out there more.”"
The Lions have enough defensive line depth to work effectively around Paschal's absence, however long it is. But it's a tough situation for a promising player who lost chunks of his rookie season last year to injuries.