LaPorta and Arnold Back on the Field at Allen Park
The good news first: Sam LaPorta and Terrion Arnold both stepped back onto the practice field at the Meijer Performance Center during the Lions’ sixth OTA session this week. After missing practice last Friday, both players participated in about 30 minutes of walkthroughs before heading to the locker room when things shifted to individual and positional drills.
For LaPorta, this is massive. The guy finished last season on injured reserve with a back injury that required surgery, and while Dan Campbell had mentioned he’d been doing walkthroughs and jog-throughs earlier this offseason, seeing him back in any capacity is a relief. LaPorta is too important to this offense to be dealing with lingering back issues.
Arnold’s situation is a little murkier. He ended last season with a shoulder injury, but it’s unclear if that’s what the Lions are managing now or if something else popped up. Either way, the cautious approach makes sense for a second-year corner who’s expected to play a key role in the secondary.
The Not-So-Good News
Before we get too comfortable, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The day started with news that fifth-round rookie receiver Kendrick Law suffered a torn ACL earlier in the week. That’s brutal for a young player trying to carve out a spot in what’s already a competitive receiver room.
The other concern continues to be the safety position. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph both missed practice again, which was expected but still worth monitoring. Campbell provided an update on Joseph’s knee situation, and it sounds like they’re playing the long game.
“It’s not worth it right now. We’re just slowly building, continuing to strengthen there,” Campbell said. “Honestly, we probably won’t know until we get into the thick of training camp.”
That’s the right approach, even if it’s frustrating for fans who want to see the full secondary in action. Joseph is too valuable to rush back from whatever he’s dealing with.
The Rest of the Injury Report
A few other names to keep track of: Ben Bartch has now missed two public practices in a row with an undisclosed injury. He was unable to finish his 2025 season with the 49ers due to a foot sprain, so there might be some connection there.
Undrafted rookie tight end Miles Kitselman wasn’t seen on the field after practicing last week, and Zach Horton returned after missing time. For Horton, getting back out there is crucial since he’s fighting for a roster spot in what’s become a surprisingly deep tight end room.
Look, it’s OTAs. Guys are banged up, some players are being held back as a precaution, and rookie receivers are tearing ACLs during voluntary workouts. None of this is ideal, but most of it falls under the category of stuff that happens when you’re building toward a season that actually matters.
The key is getting LaPorta healthy and keeping the core guys available when the real games start. Everything else is just noise until we see what this team looks like when it counts.
Are you feeling good about the cautious approach with these injuries, or should we be more worried about guys missing time this early? Drop your take below.
