DETROIT – Starting Detroit Lions guard Jonah Jackson was seen in a walking boot after the team’s win over the Panthers.
Here’s everything we know:
Jackson was on the field for every offensive snap the first four games, and he played 95% of the snaps on Sunday. He missed the final three plays, but that could have been because the Lions were comfortably in the lead.
But there were reports of Jackson leaving Ford Field in a boot after the game, and head coach Dan Campbell confirmed the injury on Monday.
“Obviously, he’s a little tender today, and those are always hard,” Campbell said. “You’re taped up, and he was able to finish the game, and then when you take the tape off, you get some swelling in there.”
It’s unclear if Jackson will be able to play when the Lions travel to Tampa Bay this weekend to battle the first-place Buccaneers.
“It’s just a matter of how much we can get all that down -- the swelling, the pain -- and what he can deal with, so it’s hard to say right now,” Campbell said.
The Lions have dealt with a flurry of offensive line injuries all season. Halapoulivaati Vaitai is working his way back from an injury, and left tackle Taylor Decker is playing at less than 100%.
Campbell said Vaitai and a few others probably could have stepped in if needed on Sunday.
“If needed, we felt like he could’ve gone in there and helped us a little bit,” Campbell said. “But between he, Graham (Glasgow), (Kayode Awosika) is playing pretty good, has been pretty good on scout team. So we’ve got some options there. (Colby Sorsdal), as well. So I feel like the interior O-line is where we feel pretty good about our options right now.”
The starting offensive line of Decker, Jackson, Frank Ragnow, Vaitai, and Penei Sewell has only played a handful of snaps together. The Lions hope to get everyone healthy soon as the schedule heats up.
