Jared Goff Faces Added Pressure Before Packers Clash as Dan Campbell Holds Off on RB IR Move

“I just think he’s a great player. He’s the reason why we win games, because he just takes control of the games. I just like my quarterback better,” WR Jameson Williams said about Jared Goff. The QB was a crucial piece in the Lions’ 15-2 success. And the franchise hopes to go beyond that this year. However, the recent roster moves ahead of the season opener against the Packers could turn more problematic for the team.

The Lions’ Syndicate host reflected on it alongside the revelation that the Lions have moved the offensive tackle Jamarco Jones to injured reserve. Moreover, Lions RB Sione Vaki will also likely be absent in Week 1 due to his hamstring injury. He has missed nearly two weeks of practice time. “Jamarco’s done for the season. And this tells me that Vaki is not ready to return. Now, what they can do is they can he can just be inactive. So, I fully expect him to be inactive tomorrow. He’s not going to play, but he is not on injured reserve, obviously,” the Lions Syndicate host said. Since he is not on the injury reserve, it seems the running back is still dealing with his injury.

Now, this leaves the offense thin. Goff will lose his offensive weapons, and this will, in turn, put the QB under more pressure. On the other hand, linebacker Trevor Nowaske was also absent from the game. He ran the ball 33 times in the preseason, gaining 112 yards without scoring, and was added to the active roster. There were more changes. Vaky’s absence saw the running back Jacob Saylors getting elevated to the active roster. While Saylors will get a chance to shine, limited options can be problematic for Goff.

Speaking of offense, John Morton explained that it wouldn’t be so easy to get it to fully click, but he’s confident because the team has learned a lot from practicing against the defense every day. “Dan (Campbell) has done an unbelievable job in training camp getting us ready to play this game. And we’ve had a ton of reps going against our defense, which is a little bit different than this defense. So, I feel very confident where we’re at,” he said.

The team also recently moved Anthony Pittman up from the practice squad.

Sione Vaki remains sidelined as Lions head for 2025 opener

Vaki was expected to make the Detroit Lions roster as a major special teams contributor. In practice, he was working as one of the team’s primary kick returners alongside linebacker Grant Stuard. He was injured during the final training camp practice. And during the preseason finale, Saylors took Vaki’s reps in his absence.

When asked about his availability, Detroit Lions HC Dan Campbell said, “Vaki, we’ll see. That could be a tick longer, but it’s not a major thing.” Now, Saylors is expected to fill Vaki’s RB4 and special teams roles, similar to the responsibilities he handled during the preseason.

The Lions’ decision to place Saylors on the active roster does not indicate a problem for Vaki. Teams often place players temporarily to preserve roster elevations, which are limited to three per season. In that case, Saylors could be waived, clear waivers, and return to the practice squad without affecting Vaki’s eventual return.