The Detroit Lions are just over a week away from opening the preseason portion of their schedule against the Cincinnati Bengals, and until then, there will be plenty of competition as Training Camp continues for the few precious jobs available on the roster.
But as is the reality with professional sports, injuries have already come into play in the early goings of Detroit’s Training Camp. Multiple players have been felled by various ailments, some more severe than others. And on Tuesday morning at the club’s Performance Center in Allen Park, head coach Dan Campbell offered the latest updates concerning the health of the walking wounded.
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell Issues Critical Health Updates On Injured Players
One of the players who was injured during Monday’s practice session was running back Sione Vaki, who was not only poked in the eye but also suffered a broken nose.
“Vaki, yesterday, you know, got poked in the eye, broken nose. So he’s going to be out for a little bit here,” Campbell said of Vaki. “We’re hopeful that his vision will be okay in time, you know. We’re not going to have him here today. Just gonna let him kind of recover a little bit. So, we think he’ll be okay, he’s just gonna need a minute. Just one of those freak things, somehow a hand got through the face mask, it was unbelievable.”
Another player who was lost to injury was tight end Anthony Firkser, and Campbell’s update on his condition wasn’t as encouraging.
“Firk, he’s got a fractured fibula, so he’ll be out obviously,” Campbell said before also indicating that wideout Lawrence Keys III is dealing with a hamstring injury.
Monday was the first day of Lions players wearing full pads during Training Camp, signaling that the intensity is starting to ramp up.
The Lions Are Now Short Several Players
Vaki is entering his third season with the Lions after being selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Through 27 career games, he’s racked up 18 rushing yards and 37 receiving yards while contributing primarily on special teams.
Firkser, who could miss several months while recovering from his fractured fibula, is in his third stint with the Lions after also spending time with the team in 2023 and 2025, totaling eight catches for 53 yards in seven games last season. He briefly signed with the Commanders this offseason before being released in late July and returning to Detroit on July 31.
Over his NFL career, he’s also spent time with the Jets, Titans, Chiefs, Falcons, and Patriots.
Keys appeared in 10 games for the UFL’s Houston Gamblers last season, recording 24 catches for 349 yards and two touchdowns while also contributing as a return specialist. He averaged 12.2 yards on punt returns and 27.3 yards on kick returns, adding versatility that could help replace some of what Detroit lost when Kalif Raymond left in free agency.
Before turning pro, Keys spent three seasons at Notre Dame before transferring to Tulane, where he broke out with 63 receptions for 895 yards and nine touchdowns.
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