Detroit Lions Week 17 inactives: Jared Goff OUT vs. Seahawks

It will be the Tim Boyle show for the second straight week.

The Detroit Lions have declared their inactives ahead of a Week 17 game against the Seattle Seahawks. The Lions roster is still dealing with COVID-19 exposures, and while they haven’t had to add anyone in three days, they are still missing multiple starters.

Here’s a look at the players that won’t be playing this week:

Lions Reserve/COVID-19 list:

• WR Josh Reynolds — added on December 27
• WR Kalif Raymond — added on December 30
• TE Brock Wright — added on December 28
• RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai — added December 29
• DL Michael Brockers — added December 29
• WR Geronimo Allison (practice squad) — added December 29
• Defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant — added December 31

None of the players on this list were able to clear the league’s COVID-19 protocols in time to play and will need to be replaced.

“We’ve got Trinity Benson, who’s back off COVID, so he’ll be ready to go,” coach Dan Campbell explained their plan at their offensive skill positions. “And then, the normal. You’ve got Tom Kennedy, you’ve got Amon-Ra (St. Brown), you’ve got – well, I guess that’s it, right? It’s those guys. And, (KhaDarel) Hodge, you’ve got Hodge, excuse me. So, we’ll have the numbers. We’ve got our new two tight ends and we’ve got our halfbacks and we’ve got an offensive live. So, we’ll make do.”

Vaitai will be replaced by UDFA rookie Tommy Kraemer, who will get the start at right guard, his third start of the season, and second at right guard.

Brockers will likely be replaced by a committee, but rookie Levi Onwuzurike will likely take over the starting role.

Pleasant won’t be available to coach the Lions secondary this week and “Defensive Assistant Brian Duker and Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn will assume Pleasant’s responsibilities on game day,” per team reporter Tim Twentyman.

Lions inactives:

• QB Jared Goff (knee)
• Superback Jason Cabinda (knee) — ruled out Friday
• EDGE Rashod Berry (illness) — ruled out Saturday
• DT Jashon Cornell
• S Jalen Elliott
• OT Will Holden
• RB Jermar Jefferson

Goff was unable to practice at all this week—due to the ankle he injured in Week 15—the Lions will need to turn to Tim Boyle for the third time this season, but the coaching staff believes the reserve quarterback is improving.

“He’s had a good week and he did exactly what we thought he would,” coach Dan Campbell said of Boyle. “He doesn’t look like somebody that’s frazzled or frustrated or has lost confidence. He looks better. He looks like he has learned from it, accepted it, and he’s ready to go to the next challenge.”

Running backs coach/assistant head coach Duce Staley said that both Craig Reynolds and Jamaal Williams asked to take over Cabinda’s role this week.

“That’s where Craig and Jamaal will come in,” Staley said on Friday. “We’ve got guys that are raising their hand to play that position, and that’s Craig and Jamaal. That says a lot about the room. (For) those guys, it’s all about the team, and they’ll tell you that.”

Berry was holding down the Lions’ EDGE4 role of late, but with him down with an illness and Julian Okwara returned to full health, the Lions should be able to swap players out.

Cornell was just removed from the reserve/non-football illness list this week but he still isn’t ready to go. With Brockers also out, the team will turn to elevated Bruce Hector for their fifth interior defensive line spot.

Elliott and Jefferson have been passed on the special teams depth chart, and as they have no clearly defined role on defense/offense this week, they’re inactive.

Offensive tackle Holden is the Lions’ ninth offensive lineman available in Seattle, but seeing as the team is missing players on the interior, they opted for elevated Parker Ehinger.

Seahawks inactives:

• QB Jacob Eason
• RB Alex Collins
• DT Robert Nkemdiche
• C Dakoda Shepley
• OT Brandon Shell