Detroit Lions Rule CB Questionable Against Vikings

The Detroit Lions have released their official 2026 Week 8 injury designation report.

Cornerback Roger McCreary was ruled questionable with a foot injury. Safety Kerby Joseph was also ruled out in his first abbreviated week of the 21-day return to play window, which was opened when he returned to practice Wednesday.

McCreary was a new addition to the injury report on Friday after not being listed Wednesday or Thursday.

The Lions will have 21 days from Wednesday to decide whether or not to activate him from the Physically Unable to Perform list. Joseph was not spotted during the open portion of Friday's practice, but was present and spoke to the media after the session.

Other than McCreary and Joseph, the Lions have a clean injury report for Sunday's game against the Vikings.

Early in the week, several players were given an opportunity to rest, but were eventually able to return to fully participating in practice, including Jahmyr Gibbs, Aidan Hutchinson and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, if the ankle injury continues to be an issue for Rakestraw, has several options, as the unit has started to deploy a cornerback rotation the past couple of weeks.

The former NFL linebacker was asked earlier this week if the cornerback rotation led to the busted coverages on explosive plays the Packers' were able to execute last week.

“We don't go down that road," said Sheppard. "Those are excuses and those are for losers. And if you start to go down that road, your role will diminish here. So, we don't even travel down there. If you get an opportunity, I don't care if you've never gotten a rep, if you've never gotten it in practice and we call you off the sideline because you're the last man that we have. You're expected to go in there and play at the same level as the guy that's taking every rep. So, with all due respect, I don't even travel down that road.”

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Detroit's defense has certainly started to marry the pass rush and pass coverage better against the Cardinals and Packers.

“These players are starting to talk a lot more," Sheppard explained. "They're starting to meet a lot more together. They understand on certain things, we need to be there really fast, D-line. On other things, we can work and manipulate some things. And just the overall total understanding of these guys starting to play and merge together, gel together, and the trust factor I think is the biggest thing that you're starting to see kind of grow and gain as we move here.”

Lions' Week 8 Friday Injury Report

CB Roger McCreary-- Ankle (Questionable)
S Kerby Joseph -- Knee (Out)

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