The Detroit Lions can't catch a break with their banged-up secondary. The Injury bug continues to sting Dan Campbell's team, and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard may not have one of his offseason reinforcements for the season opener.
According to coach Campbell, defensive back Christian Izien, who signed a one-year, $2 million deal to join the team in March and is competing for the starting nickelback spot, may not be on the field for Week 1 vs. the New Orleans Saints.
Izien reportedly suffered an injury during Tuesday's practice. Campbell didn't want to get into details and didn't make it sound as if he was expected to miss extensive time, but he did raise questions about his availability for the opener.
Christian Izien's injury adds more concerns to the Lions' secondary
“Izien, it will probably be a little bit out; I don’t know if we will have him for the opener or not,” the coach said. “But we will have him. If it is not, then we will get him early in the season at some point.”
A former undrafted free agent, Izien joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023 before making his way to Detroit. The 26-year-old brings positional versatility to the secondary, showcasing extensive experience at safety and slot corner.
The Lions can certainly use help at both spots. Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch remain out with injuries, and given the lack of progress or updates on their situations, it's hard to envision a scenario in which they don't start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
To add insult to injury, depth pieces like Nick Whiteside and Thomas Harper have also dealt with multiple ailments. Izien was ahead of both of them in the pecking order, and he might still be, but the team is dangerously thin on the defensive backfield.
If he can't be out there for the season opener, fellow offseason addition Roger McCreary is the leading candidate to be the team's starting slot corner. Rookie Keith Abney II could also be in the mix, though he looked extremely raw in Week 2 of the preseason.
The Lions could also turn to Chuck Clark, another recently signed veteran, to fill the void at safety in Izien's absence, given that he's also spent extensive time with the first-team defense in training camp. Avonte Maddox is also trending up and should throw his name into the hat as a potential starter.
This team has all the tools to have one of the most explosive offenses in the game, but you have to hold your ground in all facets of the game, especially in the NFC North. At least it doesn't sound like Izien will be out for long.
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