New late-week injuries are never ideal, and a shorter week than normal makes them even less ideal. But after practicing in full on Tuesday and Wednesday, Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton popped up on the injury report Thursday with a toe issue and missed practice. He was then listed as questionable for Saturday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys.
He hasn't been great overall this season, but Sutton's absence would not be good news for a Lions' secondary that's already allowing too many big plays going against a potent Cowboys' passing attack.
A Saturday morning report from Josina Anderson of CBS Sports suggests Sutton is a true game-time decision for the game Saturday night.
"I’m told the #Lions still don’t know if CB Cam Sutton (toe) will play tonight vs the #Cowboys. Sutton remains questionable & a true game-time decision. The plan is to work Sutton out in pregame warmups for a final determination."
-Josina Anderson, CBS Sports
How will the Detroit Lions replace Cameron Sutton if he can't go vs. Cowboys?
If Sutton were to be out on Saturday night, Kindle Vildor, Khalil Dorsey, the recently benched then injured Jerry Jacobs and Will Harris would be in line to split snaps at the outside cornerback spots.
The move to waive cornerback Chase Lucas on Thursday and not add another cornerback could be seen as a good sign for Sutton's availability. But Lucas had played zero defensive snaps this season, so his departure is not very consequential in that regard. Recent practice squad addition Craig James could be elevated to the active roster before the game, if only for an extra body.
The Lions will announce their inactives roughly 90 minutes before Saturday night's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff, at which point Sutton's status will be officially revealed. There will surely be some pregame clips of him on the field that surface on social media, to serve as a sign if he'll play or not. But the Lions' No. 1 cornerback seems to be a game-time decision in the most direct sense of the phrase.