Safety Louis Delmas and cornerback Chris Houston have yet to practice for the Detroit Lions this week, and their knee injuries are more serious than previously thought, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Both players suffered Grade 2 tears of the medial collateral ligament in the Thanksgiving Day loss to the Green Bay Packers, according to the report, and are likely to miss their second straight game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. Neither player has practiced since their injury.
The team's official website reported both players suffered MCL sprains.
Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he expects both Delmas (right knee) and Houston (left knee) to return again this season, per the Free Press.
“We’re going to get (all of our injured defensive players) back, it’s just a matter of when,” Schwartz said Thursday. “We don’t have anybody there that, other than maybe Lawrence Jackson, which is a little bit more long-term, but we haven’t put any of those guys on the (injured reserve) and all those guys are expected back. And they’re all making progress. They’re all doing well, but whether or not they’ll be available this week, it’s still too early to say.”
Running back Kevin Smith (ankle) and defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot) were held out for the second straight day Thursday, while defensive end Lawrence Jackson (thigh) and linebacker Justin Durant (hamstring) also sat out.