Joint practices are largely about getting work in against an actual opponent, with more value than a subsequent preseason game for most (if not all) coaches. A secondary concern is emerging unscathed, or as unscathed as possible, in regard to injuries.
Early in the first of two joint practices against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Wednesday, the Detroit Lions lost not one but two notable wide receivers to leg injuries.
Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown trying to work through what looks like lower right leg injury suffered early in practice. Getting it taped now. Then Jameson Williams pulled up and grabbed at his right hamstring on deep route. Looks like he’s leaving practice field.
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) August 16, 2023
Williams was seen walking under his own power to the locker room, which is good news in a broad sense. St. Brown never went to the locker room, seen by reporters on the sideline with his ankle taped.
Detroit Lions injury news: Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown leave practice
Firm injury updates on Williams and St. Brown won't come until head coach Dan Campbell talks to the media before Thursday's second joint practice. But it's fair to assume both with do little or nothing or consequence in that practice session, and both may now sit out Saturday's preseason game.
Campbell confirmed how Williams would see plenty of action during preseason games, and beyond that any further missed practice time will not be ideal. He missed a few days early in camp with a leg injury, and he missed an additional practice to deal with a personal matter. He was of course limited by his recovery from a torn ACL last season and he'll be suspended for the first six games of this season. So he's got developing to do in a fairly short remaining window before he has to be away from the team,
St. Brown's injury seems to be the less serious of the two. He'll probably have to be protected from his own desire to never miss a practice on Thursday if, to put it in plain terms, he can just "tape it up" and go. As for Williams, we can hope for the best possible news--or at least not incredibly bad news.