Detroit Lions place four players on injured reserve before season opener

The Detroit Lions enter the 2026 season dealing with significant roster concerns after placing four players on injured reserve. Safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, starting center Cade Mays, and running back Isiah Pacheco are sidelined to start the year. Per league rules, these players are required to miss at least the first four weeks of the regular season. This development creates depth issues for the team, specifically within the defensive backfield and along the offensive line. Jahmyr Gibbs remains the primary option in the backfield following the injury to Isiah Pacheco. The team faces a challenging start to the schedule while waiting for these key contributors to recover and potentially return to the active roster starting in Week 5.

• 3:40 PMYahoo Sports — Lions already dealing with major injury concerns before 2026 season has even started