DETROIT US News: Brock Wright’s status for the Detroit Lions’ crucial Thursday night clash with the Dallas Cowboys is up in the air after the fourth-year tight end missed Monday’s practice with a trachea injury that could keep him sidelined beyond Week 14.
Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed Tuesday that Wright, who took a brutal shot to the throat area in the Week 12 win over the New York Giants, remains day-to-day while the team awaits additional medical opinions. “We’re still getting scans looked at on his trachea,” Campbell told reporters. “We’re trying to see if there’s anything else that would alter the timeline for him to play. Right now we’re just kind of in a holding pattern.”
Wright was able to return briefly after the initial hit against the Giants but has not played since and sat out the Thanksgiving loss to Green Bay. Sources close to the situation indicate the injury involves bruising and possible minor structural damage to the windpipe, an issue that carries significant risk if aggravated further.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end has been a vital cog in Detroit’s two-tight-end sets this season, posting 14 receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns while serving as one of the team’s top run-blockers. His potential absence leaves the Lions dangerously thin at the position behind starter Sam LaPorta, with Shane Zylstra (knee, limited in practice) as the only other healthy tight end on the active roster.
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Detroit’s receiving corps is already battered heading into the short week. Pro Bowl wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) and speedy slot man Kalif Raymond (ankle) both missed Monday’s session, while Zylstra was listed as limited.
The Lions (7-5) host the 6-5-1 Cowboys at Ford Field in a 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff that carries major playoff implications for both clubs. Wright traveled with the team for the Thanksgiving game but was ultimately inactive, and Wednesday’s final injury report will carry an official game designation.
Campbell stressed the difficulty of the quick turnaround but stopped short of ruling Wright out. “He wants to be out there bad,” the coach said. “We just have to be smart with it.”
If Wright is unable to suit up, expect increased snaps for Zylstra and possibly an elevation from the practice squad as Detroit looks to protect its ground game against a Dallas front that has generated 38 sacks this season.
