The Detroit Lions’ safety crisis deepened Saturday as the team placed Thomas Harper on injured reserve, removing another starter from an already depleted secondary ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the New York Jets. The Lions announced Harper will miss at least the next four weeks, making him ineligible to return until Week 7. With Harper unable to practice, head coach Dan Campbell confirmed the team had to shift Christian Izien into the starting safety role opposite veteran Chuck Clark for Sunday.
The move leaves the defense with four of its top five safeties unavailable, as Harper joins Avonte Maddox on injured reserve and Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph on the physically unable to perform list. To fill the active roster spots created by Harper’s placement, the Lions elevated defensive back Jalen Mills and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga from the practice squad. Mills, who re-signed with Detroit earlier this week after a brief stint on the practice squad, brings familiarity to a unit that has struggled with communication and assignments. Lions late last season.
Campbell praised the readiness of rookie corner Keith Abney, who has seen reserve reps at safety, but noted that Mills offers the most immediate help. Steelers’ practice squad earlier in the week as a developmental option, though he is not expected to see significant snaps immediately.
Offensive Line Returns to Full Strength
While the defense navigates a personnel shortage, the offensive line is set to return to its Week 1 configuration. Starting left guard Christian Mahogany and right tackle Blake Miller both practiced in full on Friday and are expected to start against the Jets, ending a week of instability caused by injuries.
Mahogany missed Week 1 due to a hip injury and was replaced by Ben Bartch, who started Week 2 before suffering his own foot injury. Mahogany’s return stabilizes the interior line after Bartch was ruled out for Sunday. Miller, a rookie who missed his NFL debut with a knee issue, also returns to the lineup after Larry Borom filled in during Week 2.
The starting five of Penei Sewell, Mahogany, Juice Scruggs, Tate Ratledge, and Miller should provide continuity after a chaotic start to the season. Miller are good to go barring a setback, though Ratledge remains limited with an elbow injury.
League Fines St. Brown and Teammates
The NFL announced Saturday that the Lions received ten fines for incidents during the Week 2 loss to the Bills, with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown facing the heaviest penalty. St. Brown was fined four times for unsportsmanlike conduct related to celebrations that mimicked smoking, a total the receiver plans to appeal.
The league fined St. Brown nearly $60,000 for the four infractions, matching the total issued to Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins for similar conduct. Jameson Williams received two fines for celebrations and taunting, while running back Jahmyr Gibbs and tackle Penei Sewell were each fined once for celebratory acts.
Defensive lineman Tyler Lacy and linebacker Devin White were fined for unnecessary roughness, specifically facemask penalties. Lacy and White each received fines of approximately $7,000 for the contact. The total financial penalty for the team exceeds $130,000, though St. Brown’s appeal could reduce the collective burden if the league determines the multiple fines for a single game’s behavior were excessive.
This article was created by aggregating Detroit Lions news using Artificial Intelligence.
