Detroit Lions OTAs Week 3 injury, participation updates

Posted by Admin June 11, 2026 NFL

The Detroit Lions closed out their Organized Team Activities on Thursday afternoon with their ninth practice, third available to the media.

We’ll have observations from practice in a separate post, but here is our participation report, which is unofficial and based on our own reporting from practice.

Not at practice:

It’s unclear why Teddy Bridgwater missed this practice, but it did allow undrafted rookie quarterback Luke Altmyer to get plenty of reps with the second and third-team offense. Unfortunately for him, there was only one full-speed drill on Thursday, and it was for the first-team offense only.

Kendrick Law tore his ACL last Tuesday. I’m only including him on this list because he has still not technically been placed on injured reserve.

Tyler Conklin’s absence on Thursday was not explained by the team.

Ben Bartch has been missing for the entire OTA program, but coach Dan Campbell called the move precautionary. Bartch suffered a foot sprain that caused him to miss the 49ers’ final four games of the regular season. Campbell said he expects him back on the field for training camp.

“He is much more precautionary than what those other two [Branch, Joseph], as far as you know. So, we anticipate him being ready for training camp, he’s doing well,” Campbell said.

Ennis Rakestraw and Rock Ya-Sin’s absences were not injury related. Campbell noted that both players are dealing with an illness that is going around the cornerback room. It’s unclear if that’s what caused Terrion Arnold to miss practice, or if it’s the injury that has held him out of most of the offseason program. Last week, Arnold was limited during Thursday’s practice.

Campbell offered an update on Branch Branch, casting doubt on his ability to return from an Achilles injury by training camp, but he did say he has not suffered any setback. Both Branch and Kerby Joseph were watching the end of practice on Thursday, with Branch urging Lions coaches to let him participate in a punt catching competition. The coaches smartly declined his request.

Limited:

Like last week, LaPorta participated in the long walkthrough to start practice, but left practice when positional drills started.

Returned to practice:

After missing a practice last week, Kitselman was back on the field and had some additional opportunities with LaPorta and Conklin missing time.