Lions Could Avoid Chris Jones, Jaxon Smith-Njigba First Two Weeks

Detroit Lions could get lucky first two weeks of season.

In order to have success in the NFL, you not only have to be good, but you also have to have luck on your side, especially when it comes to having your top players available. 

Barring any injuries in the Detroit Lions' preseason finale in Carolina, the Lions will be near full health heading into their regular season opener against the Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 7.

At this present juncture, the only significant contributor that the Lions will likely be without come Week 1 is cornerback Emmanuel Moseley. The former 49ers defensive back, who is still working on getting past a torn ACL, is currently on Detroit's physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

As for wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, he's been nursing an ankle ailment for a week now, but still does not appear to be in danger of missing the Lions' season-opening contest.

Additionally, on the non-injury front, Detroit will be without second-year receiver Jameson Williams for the first six games of the regular season. Williams was suspended over the offseason for violating the NFL's gambling policy. 

Meanwhile, Detroit's first two regular season opponents – the Chiefs and the Seahawks – could be without significant players come the start of the 2023 campaign.

For the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, they are in jeopardy of being without star defensive tackle Chris Jones. Jones has been a contract holdout all throughout training camp. 

Jones, a four-time Pro Bowler, recorded 15.5 sacks a season ago, en route to earning his first career first-team All-Pro selection.

He has one more year remaining on the four-year, $80 million contract he inked in 2020. And, unless he gets a new contract, there is the chance, according to Jones, that he continues his holdout until Week 8.

As for the Seahawks, they won't have rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba available to start the season. 

The Ohio State product underwent surgery earlier this week to repair a slight fracture in his left wrist. And, he's expected to miss the first three-four weeks of the regular season, according to Seattle head coach Pete Carroll.

Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba / © Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Both Jones and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are high-impact type players. So, if the Chiefs and Seahawks have to play without them for any significant period of time, it will be detrimental. 

On the flip side, for the Lions, they'd undoubtedly benefit – and in a significant fashion – if Jones was unable to play Week 1 and if Jaxon Smith-Njigba was forced to sit out Week 2.

And, at this juncture, I'd bank on the Lions getting lucky and avoiding both players the first two weeks of the '23 season.