Detroit Lions rule out 4 key pieces for prime-time game vs. Packers

ALLEN PARK -- Make sure to print out a fresh roster sheet. The Detroit Lions are missing even more key pieces for their prime-time date with the Green Bay Packers.

The Lions ruled out left tackle Taylor Decker (knee), defensive tackle DJ Reader (shoulder), and defensive linemen Josh Paschal (knee) and Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) for Thursday Night Football.

There wasn’t much optimism at all about Decker, Paschal or Onwuzurike playing this week. Reader, who had two sacks in last week’s win on Thanksgiving, trended in the wrong direction coming out of that game.

Paschal and Onwuzurike suffered injuries in the first half last week and did not return. It’s a positive sign they haven’t landed on injured reserve, especially considering the Lions are about to get a much-needed mini-bye this weekend.

And if playing four games in 18 days wasn’t enough, the Lions have continued to lose piece after piece. Decker and Kalif Raymond (foot) are the two main injuries on the offense, with most of the hits coming to Aaron Glenn’s defense.

Dan Skipper has started in both games that Decker has missed this season. That’s a change of direction from previous years when Penei Sewell slid left whenever the team’s longest-tenured player was forced to miss time.

“So, it’s a little bit of just forecasting who’s going to be available that week, and we know Penei can play either side equally well,” Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said. “Skipper can play either side, whatever he’s asked to do, inside or outside, he’s more than ready to answer that bell as well. So, we have some flexibility there.”

Four of the team’s top five linebackers are on injured reserve, with Alex Anzalone (forearm), Derrick Barnes (knee), Malcolm Rodriguez (knee) and Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck) out. And the defensive line isn’t doing much better, with Reader, Paschal and Onwuzurike out for this game, not to mention Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Kyle Peko and Barnes (SAM), among others, on injured reserve.

The Lions have been poaching from practice squads and the free-agent market to help fill in the defensive gaps. They added linebacker David Long less than two weeks ago, and the veteran has already seen action in two games.

Linebacker Kwon Alexander, and defensive linemen Myles Adams and Jonah Williams were signed from other team’s practice squads this week. And the Lions even added former All-Pro safety Jamal Adams to their practice squad.

Adams has had most of his success playing from inside the box and was spotted doing individual drills with the linebackers this week in practice.

“Yeah, I think there’s a chance all four could help us (this week),” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said of the new additions.

The Lions waived safety Loren Strickland shortly after announcing their inactives. Strickland has appeared in six games and made it through training camp as an undrafted free agent. His departure creates more potential wiggle room for elevations and signings from their or someone else’s practice squad.

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