Lions opening practice window for 2 injured players, focused on fixing third-down woes, expecting Vikings to start McCarthy on Sunday

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Allen Park — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell met with the media on Monday following the team’s bye. Here are the highlights from the conversation.

● Our regularly updated injury page already has the information, but the Lions will evaluate cornerback Terrion Arnold’s preparedness to return to action this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings during a padded practice on Tuesday.

Additionally, the team is expecting to start the practice clocks for linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and safety Daniel Thomas.

Arnold missed the past two games with a shoulder injury. He briefly returned to practice, in a limited capacity, ahead of the bye. However, he was ruled out for that game against Tampa Bay.

Thomas will be coming off injured reserve after forearm surgery, while Rodriguez has been working his way back from last year’s ACL tear. Once their clocks are started, they’ll have three weeks to get acclimated before the team is required to add them to the 53-man roster. Of course, if deemed ready, they can be activated sooner.

There are several players where we could still use an update. That includes safety Kerby Joseph, defensive back Avonte Maddox, running back Sione Vaki and defensive end Marcus Davenport.

Joseph missed last week’s game with a nagging knee injury, Maddox has been out two games with a hamstring strain, and Vaki has missed a month, also with a hamstring injury.

As for Davenport, he’s currently eligible to return from injured reserve, but seemingly still not ready. I’ll try to check in later this week to see if there’s a timeline for the starting defensive end, who has been out since Week 2.

● With the usage rates for both at career-high levels, I asked Campbell about the challenge of heavily leaning on stars Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs, while also making sure the offense has balance and the team’s other weapons are involved.

The answer morphed into what Campbell thinks is the biggest reason the team hasn’t had better offensive balance.

“I know some of it has been, we are not getting the plays that we normally get because we’ve not converted like we should on third down,” Campbell said. “Third down is the most glaring thing right now. We have to be better.”

The Lions are averaging nearly six fewer plays per game with a predictably decline in plays per possession, from 6.41 last season to 5.73 this year. That’s a 10.6% decline.

Campbell’s point that his team is struggling on third down holds up. The Lions have sharply declined in that department. In 2024, they ranked fourth in the league, converting 47.6 of their tries. This year, it’s dipped to 37.7%, tied for 20th.

That’s particularly bad because the Lions are among the league’s most efficient offenses on first and second down this season.

“I feel like there are a lot of things we’ve actually missed on third-and-manageable, the mid-range third downs,” Campbell said. “So we’re where we want to be to have a shot at converting, we just got to get it done, you know. And it really is collective, man. It’s all of us. There are things that we can do to really help our guys. And then it falls on them, too.”

● Working from home this weekend, Campbell had the joy of taking in the closing minutes of former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s first win as the New York Jets head coach.

“I didn’t watch the whole game,” Campbell said. “I watched the score, I saw the end of it. I’m keeping up with AG. I’ll text back and forth with him. I’m a huge fan, obviously. And so, it was good to see. I know that was tough. You’re down a couple of scores and they rallied back, hung in there and found a way to win. And it’s just to get that first one, it’s a good feeling. So, happy for all those guys.”

It’s worth noting, Glenn got his first win quicker than Campbell got his with the Lions. That drought dragged all the way into December, when the 0-10-1 squad got a walk-off touchdown from Jared Goff to rookie receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to knock off the Vikings, 29-27.

● Campbell said he expects the Vikings to start second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy this week, following a five-game absence due to an ankle injury.

“Certainly, if he does play, they’re going to want to calm it down for him, ask him to do things that he does well, help him out there, try to establish the run game there, get (Justin Jefferson) 18 the ball,” Campbell said. “All the things that you would think.”

● Campbell was asked to evaluate the interior of the team’s offensive line seven games into the season after that area was remodeled this offseason.

“They have improved,” Campbell said. “Graham (Glasgow) has been steady in there in the middle, and both of our guards have improved. I mean, there is clear and noticeable improvement.

“There’s a lot to go and they know that,” Campbell said. “There’s so much room to get better, and I expect them to take another step. They’re going to need to take another step. They know that and, when that happens, then collectively we’ll all get better and that whole unit will get better. But from where we came from Green Bay, they have taken noticeable jumps.”