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Lions, Dolphins Week 9 Injury Report: Brian Branch Limited Wednesday

Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) warms up ahead of the game between Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co

The Detroit Lions (5-2) are back on the road in Week 9, traveling to Florida to take on the Miami Dolphins (1-6). The Lions held a walkthrough on Wednesday instead of a full practice, so all participation levels are estimates from the coaching staff based on how the player would have participated in a traditional practice.

With that in mind, let’s look at Wednesday’s injury report and get you up to date on what we know.

Note: Any changes from the most recent injury report will be bolded.

Injured list updates

RB Isiah Pacheco (MCL/Back, IR) — expected to be out until December
OL Giovanni Manu (undisclosed, NFI) — eligible to begin practicing at any time
OL Ben Bartch (foot, IR) — eligible to begin practicing in Week 10
LB Devin White (forearm, IR) — eligible to begin practicing in Week 10
LB Jimmy Rolder (hamstring, IR) — Season-ending injury
S Kerby Joseph (knee, PUP) — Injury evaluation clock started
S Thomas Harper (ankle, IR) — Eligible to begin practicing at any time

Rolder injured his hamstring last Sunday, and with the injury potentially requiring surgery, he’s being shut down for the remainder of the season. While that ends his rookie season, the good news is he should be able to return in 2027.

Jack Campbell update

I wanted to take a moment to talk about Jack Campbell, as most Lions fans are anxiously awaiting updates on his status and wondering about his future, both on and off the field. First, in case you missed it, Jack Campbell released a statement earlier on Wednesday; here’s an excerpt (emphasis is the author’s):

“I’m incredibly encouraged by the progress I’ve made in such a short period of time. I have full movement in my lower body, and I’m continuing to make progress with movement in my upper body. I know there’s still work ahead, but I remain very optimistic. I’m taking things one day at a time, staying positive, and focusing on getting better.”

Jack is still on the 53-man roster and hasn’t been moved to injured reserve, but it would be improper to speculate why a move has or hasn’t been made at this time. The team typically takes their time in these situations, so it’s important to be patient right now and not make assumptions either way.

Estimated no practice

C Cade Mays (ankle) — Injured in Week 8 — Preparing for Juice Scruggs to start
EDGE DJ Wonnum (concussion) — Injured in Week 8
LB Jack Campbell (neck) — Injured in Week 8
CB D.J. Reed (hip) — Injured in Week 8

Mays reportedly has a “low” ankle injury, which typically sidelines players from one to six weeks (high ankle injuries usually last four to 12 weeks), and while we don’t know how long this will sideline the Lions’ starting center, Dan Campbell did note that he missing Wednesday’s practice was planned and Thursday’s practice could also be in jeopardy. For now, the team is preparing to turn to Juice Scruggs against the Dolphins.

Wonnum is in the NFL’s concussion protocol and must pass a series of steps before he can move forward. Every player deals with head injuries differently, so we will have to wait and see how he is able to handle the increasing stressors deployed in the protocol.

Reed was forced out of the Vikings game late, and while he didn’t return, he was available in the locker room after the game, which is typically a good sign for his injury. The Lions will likely take it slow with their top corner this week.

Estimated limited practice

RB Jacob Saylors (neck) — Injured in Week 8
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (rib) — Injured in Week 8
LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (toe) — Injured in Week 8
S Kerby Joseph (knee, PUP) — Days remaining in injury evaluation clock: 13
S Brian Branch (concussion) — Injured in Week 8

Saylors was limited early in practices in Week 8 with a neck injury, and while he did not carry an injury designation into the game against the Vikings, he did exit with a reported neck injury. It’s unclear whether this is a new injury or a tweak of the existing one, but it’s not surprising to see him get early-week rest to allow more time to recover.

Last week, St. Brown was dealing with an ankle injury, and now he’s dealing with a rib injury. He left Sunday’s game against the Vikings briefly but did not miss much time before returning.

Ogbongbemiga is dealing with a toe injury, which could leave Detroit’s linebacker room a little short this week, but given he’s just listed as limited, there is plenty of time for him to recover. He could play a bigger special teams role this week, with Malcolm Rodriguez and Trevor Nowaske expected to play bigger defensive roles.

On Tuesday, coach Dan Campbell discussed the timeline for Kerby Joseph, noting that he won’t play in Miami this weekend, as he’s still slowly acclimating back to football activities.

“We’re going to try and give him some scout team reps. He’s not going to play this game,” Campbell said. “I know that (question) was coming. He’s not playing vs. Miami. He’s just going to get some reps in practice.”

Branch, like Wonnum, must go through the NFL’s structured concussion protocol, but an estimated limited practice is a positive sign he could play this week.