Allen Park — Here are a handful of quick newsy items out of coach Dan Campbell’s Tuesday afternoon press conference.
Campbell provided injury updates on two players who have recently been absent from the lineup. It’s bad news for veteran linebacker Damone Clark, who has been out of action the past couple of weeks.
“Damone will be, he is done indefinitely,” Campbell said. “This injury took place, shoot, man, three weeks ago, I guess, two weeks ago. Unfortunately, it's significant enough where he will be out indefinitely.”
Clark, a former LSU standout and Dallas Cowboys starter, was signed as a free agent this offseason. He was expected to be in the mix for the team’s starting weakside job and contribute on special teams. Prior to the injury, he was mostly repping with the second unit.
Also on the injury front, safety Thomas Harper is dealing with an ankle sprain. He missed the preseason game against Washington and the practice before it. Campbell said there’s a chance Harper returns to action this week, but the coach didn’t expect it.
Regarding Kerby Joseph, the former All-Pro safety who has been away from the team while tending to a personal matter, he still hasn’t rejoined the club, but Campbell said he expects that to happen soon.
“He's doing well,” Campbell said. “Nothing new. He's not here right now. He will be, though.”
Joseph, who is on the physically unable to perform list with a nagging knee injury that cost him 11 games last season, is expected to be ready to return to the lineup early in the season.
Jobs up for grabs
This is the final week of camp before the team needs to trim its roster to 53 players. Campbell was asked, which position groups are still the most fluid and the coach highlighted both the trenches.
“The D-line room is — that one can go any way right now,” Campbell said. “It really can. I mean, there are a number of guys in there. The hard thing is you can't keep all those guys. You just can't, not without it hurting the rest of your roster. And there's some good players in there. There's some veterans. There's some young guys. There's raw talent.But there's things in there that you really like. And that thing is up in the air right now in a number of spots. That's probably the most significant.”
One name that has been ascending since signing after the start of training camp has been veteran Ben Stille. Campbell was complimentary of what Stille has brought to the table during his short stint in Detroit.
“He's a pro, smart, you know, really smart,” Campbell said. “He's got versatility. He’s strong, very strong. He can shed blocks, shock, shed, make plays. (He) kind of knows himself, knows what he is, knows his own limitations and can play fast enough to cover up for some of those.
“The intrigue with him is the versatility,” Campbell said. “He can play some big end and the nose, certainly, and then three (technique), if you needed it. So, the more you can do and the more that you can prove you can do, it's always going to help your case.”
Campbell noted there’s also still fluidity at the back end of the o-line depth chart, while stating the answer might not currently be on the roster.
That’s notable after the Lions worked out two veteran guards last week, Will Hernandez and the team’s former first-round pick Laken Tomlinson.
Rosters should be expanded to 60 players..
O line depth is a problem for most teams, but the Lions are in bad shape depth-wise, Manu, Sorsdal, Frazier, Mid-round picks, just haven't developed.