The Detroit Lions have made their final game-day decisions for Sunday’s season opener against the New Orleans Saints, and the biggest news is exactly where we expected it to be.
Christian Izien will not play.
Detroit announced five inactive players shortly before kickoff at Ford Field: EDGE Ahmed Hassanein, DB Christian Izien, CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., LB Jimmy Rolder and DL Mekhi Wingo.
Izien was the only player on Detroit’s final Week 1 injury report carrying a game designation after dealing with a groin injury throughout the week. Dan Campbell had described him as close, but Detroit also has a Thursday night game at Buffalo waiting four days from now.
Apparently, close was not close enough.
Lions Make Some Interesting Defensive Choices
Here is Detroit’s complete inactive list:
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Ahmed Hassanein | EDGE |
| Christian Izien | DB |
| Ennis Rakestraw Jr. | CB |
| Jimmy Rolder | LB |
| Mekhi Wingo | DL |
Wingo is probably the most interesting name beyond Izien.
He began the week limited by a groin injury but progressed to full participation Friday and carried no final game designation. His inactive status comes one day after Detroit elevated defensive lineman Ben Stille from the practice squad, making Stille available for the opener. Pride of Detroit noted Saturday that Detroit specifically chose Stille for its Week 1 defensive-line elevation after bringing Levi Onwuzurike back to the practice squad.
Rakestraw and Rolder also practiced fully throughout the week after dealing with ankle and hamstring issues, respectively. Their inclusion on the inactive list therefore looks more like game-day roster management than an injury designation.
Hassanein was not listed on Detroit’s injury report this week.
Derrick Moore Is Ready to Roll
One name that is not on the list is rookie EDGE Derrick Moore.
Moore began the week limited with a hamstring injury but progressed to full participation Friday. That clears the second-round pick to make his regular-season NFL debut behind Aidan Hutchinson in a defensive front Brad Holmes spent the offseason trying to make deeper and more disruptive.
Detroit’s current defensive depth chart places Moore directly behind Hutchinson, while the Lions have D.J. Wonnum, Tyler Lacy and Eric O’Neill available elsewhere on the edge.
The Lions also have all of their primary offensive weapons available. Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta are ready to go as Detroit attempts to erase the bad taste left by last season’s 9-8 finish.
Sunday’s game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET at Ford Field.
The injury drama is officially over.
Now comes the football.
