Detroit Lions get All-Pro wide receiver back at practice; 5 others missing
Detroit Lions All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was back at Thursday’s practice.
St. Brown missed Wednesday’s practice with a wrist injury. But he was going through drills as if nothing had happened, and didn’t appear to have any major brace or anything on either wrist.
He’s continued to play like one of the NFL’s best all-around wide receivers through five games. St. Brown has 35 catches for 407 yards and six touchdowns. He’s fresh off his second 100-yard game of the season, catching eight of nine balls for 100 yards.
“He helped us win that game,” Lions offensive coordinator John Morton said of St. Brown’s showing in Cincinnati. “Like I said, I don’t care what the coverage is, I’m going to call his number. He’s reliable. And the quarterback knows that, too.”
Kalif Raymond also appeared to be back at Thursday’s practice. The wide receiver and punt returner went through all the position drills. Raymond suffered a neck injury in last week’s game, exiting in the first quarter.
Kerby Joseph was spotted on the field, too. But the All-Pro safety did not have his helmet on during the window open to reporters. He was also separate from the rest of the defensive backs, and it would be safe to assume the Lions list him as a non-participant.
Joseph has been dealing with lingering knee issues since training camp. He’s switched from a leg sleeve to a bulkier knee brace in recent weeks. But he’s continued to play at a high level as the team’s top ball hawk. Joseph has three interceptions in five games as he looks to repeat as the league leader in that department.
Missing from practice were left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder), cornerback Terrion Arnold (shoulder), linebacker Zach Cunningham (hamstring) and running back Sione Vaki (groin).
Arnold is expected to miss a couple of weeks despite the positive second opinion he received. Decker’s missing practice isn’t anything new for the Lions, either. The left tackle missed last week’s game as the team looked to let him heal and gear up for the long season ahead.
The Lions are weighing their options on the offensive line if Decker is unable to play in Kansas City this weekend. Giovanni Manu could get his second career start, while Dan Skipper and Devin Cochran remain options if they change directions.
They are not expected to move Penei Sewell from the right side to the left side, though.
“We’ve talked about it. I think a lot of times what happens with -- Sewell could easily go over there,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “He’d just want reps. He’d want reps for the week, just, ‘Let me get a few reps.’ But he’d go over there and handle it just fine. It’s really more about if it’s not Decker, the other guys, and where they are most comfortable?
“Sewell, by default, will go away from that because he can do it all. So we’ve talked about it. I don’t want to say that’s off the table, but that’s probably not the first thought, being honest with you.”
Trade Idea Has Raiders Land $10.5 Million QB as Geno Smith Replacement
The Las Vegas Raiders were considering multiple quarterback options this offseason, but landed on a trade for Geno Smith. That wasn’t a big surprise, as Smith and head coach Pete Carroll have a very good relationship.
Unfortunately, Smith hasn’t been playing well for the Raiders. He’s thrown nine interceptions this season, which is the most in the NFL. He’s been having a difficult time seeing the field, and his decision-making is suspect.
While he’s new with the team, Smith has been in the NFL for over a decade and is nearly 35 years old. The Raiders don’t seem like they’re eager to give up on the quarterback, but if Carroll doesn’t want to lose the locker room, he might have to make some tough calls.
Kenny Pickett is the backup, but he doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence. There’s another quarterback that Carroll had a lot of success with, who could be on the market. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report floated the Raiders as a trade suitor for New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson.
“The primary reason Wilson might draw interest? He’s cheap,” Knox wrote. “With a base salary of just $2 million, he would be a budget alternative for any team currently getting poor quarterback play or in need of a veteran mentor.
“He will also remain the most sensible QB target if and when another starter goes down with a long-term injury.”
Should Raiders Trade for Wilson?
The cost for Wilson in a trade should be very low. He lost his starting job to rookie Jaxson Dart and hasn’t looked like a Pro Bowl quarterback in years.
It’s difficult to see how adding Wilson changes anything for the Raiders. He may not turn the ball over as much as Smith, but he also hasn’t been making that many plays. If things get bad enough to where Las Vegas feels like they need to bench Smith, they’re better off seeing what a younger quarterback like Pickett or Cam Miller can do.
Smith Trying to Manage Emotions
Smith has dealt with plenty of adversity throughout his career, but it seemed like he moved past that with his successful stint as the Seahawks starter. He’s learning quickly that helping turn around the Raiders is a much harder job.
He’s doing everything he can to keep his emotions in check despite the rough start.
“You’ve got to be a mature adult about your emotions,” Smith said Wednesday. “You’ve got to find life outside of football as well. You never want to put all your eggs in one basket. I think a lot of guys struggle to transition after football because we devote so much time to this.
“But this is what we do, not exactly who we are. And so, for everyone who’s dealing with mental health, I would advise them to seek counseling, try to find an outside source so that you can get it out and whatever you’re going through, you’ve got to be able to push through it, man. But you also need someone to talk to. So, find someone to talk to and then do your best to manage your emotions.”
