ALLEN PARK -- Aidan Hutchinson and Penei Sewell were back at practice for the Detroit Lions on Thursday.
That’s very good news ahead of a big-time NFC showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend. Hutchinson (elbow) and Sewell (ankle) missed Wednesday’s practice. But neither sounded concerned, with Hutchinson saying he would be ready to go. Sewell said after the game his ankle was something that hurt badly at the time, but it continued to calm down as he played through it.
“Nothing to worry about. Just a little bump in the road, but we’re good,” Hutchinson said.
“Not at all (concerned about it keeping him out against the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend).”
The Lions also got tight end Brock Wright (ankle) and running back Sione Vaki (ankle) back at practice. Wright and Vaki were spotted working to the side with trainers on Wednesday as they missed the first session of the week.
Vaki has been hampered by groin and hamstring injuries since training camp started. But the second-year running back’s return to practice with the ankle is a good sign for this weekend.
Tight end Sam LaPorta (back), safety Kerby Joseph (knee), cornerback Terrion Arnold (concussion protocol) and defensive lineman Pat O’Connor (knee) were not spotted during Thursday’s open window for reporters.
LaPorta has missed back-to-back practices to open the week. With Wright also working through an injury, the Lions signed veteran tight end Anthony Firkser to the practice squad to boost the depth.
Joseph has missed three straight games and doesn’t seem any closer to returning to action. The All-Pro safety’s knee hasn’t healed as quickly as the team had hoped, as he missed the game before the bye week and then still wasn’t ready for the last two times out on the field.
Arnold remains in concussion protocol, and the clock is officially ticking on his chances of playing this weekend. The Lions were impressed with Arnold’s work in coverage since returning after the bye week. They also saw growth in his run-stopping chops after defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard publicly challenged him in that department.
But the second-year cornerback has exited five of the seven games he’s been active for this season. He’s dealt with groin and shoulder issues, and now has to work through the league’s five-step concussion protocol process.
Sheppard was asked about how Arnold was feeling this week, and joked that, “Oh, he’s upright as ever -- a little too upright for me for not playing this week.”
“But I say, ‘You’re not practicing. Why are you so excited today?’ That’s just him, seriously. Kind of little brother, father-figure, whatever you want to call it,” Sheppard said. “He’s given me no choice but to take that role on, and I love him. The thing I love most about him, seriously, is that I challenge that player and I challenged him publicly, and a lot of guys can’t take that. And I know he can because of the relationship we have. He knows I’m not being demeaning towards him. I’m being very demanding, though, because I see something in him.
“So, I’ll be very excited knowing when I get that player back. And it’ll also be good to see him finish a game here. But, no, I love Terrion. He’s doing a phenomenal job and (defensive backs) coach Deshea (Townsend)’s continuing to develop that player each and every day.”
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