Lions' Training Camp Nightmare: Pacheco and Starting Center Mays Both Go Down
Detroit lost two projected starters to injury within 24 hours, while Washington's Laremy Tunsil now needs surgery — a rough Monday for two teams built to contend.

The Detroit Lions' training camp took a bad turn Monday when the team lost starting center Cade Mays to a fractured wrist and running back Isiah Pacheco to a sprained MCL within the same session, according to NFL.com's injury roundup and UPI.
Mays fractured a small bone in his wrist in what teammates described as a freak collision during a routine drill and is expected to miss eight to ten weeks, a timeline that could sideline him for most or all of the preseason and put his Week 1 status in question. Pacheco, brought in during the offseason to bolster Detroit's backfield, suffered his MCL sprain in a separate incident; while the injury is considered less severe and he's expected to be ready for the regular season, the Lions will now have to manage his workload cautiously through the rest of camp.
The injuries arrive during the first full week of preseason action across the NFL, with all 32 teams now on the field after the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers opened the exhibition slate in the Hall of Fame Game, a 33-30 win for Carolina behind quarterback Haynes King. Camp injuries are common this time of year, but the concentration of significant ones — Mays, Pacheco and Tunsil all going down within a single 24-hour window — has rattled two franchises with real postseason aspirations.
Washington Loses Its Blindside Protector
The injury news wasn't limited to Detroit. Commanders left tackle Laremy Tunsil, one of the league's steadiest pass protectors, tore his triceps and will require surgery, a blow that threatens to sideline him for a significant chunk of the season, per NFL.com. Losing Tunsil in front of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign, threatens to disrupt one of the more promising young offenses in the league just as training camp intensifies.
A FREAK TRAINING CAMP INJURY
The timing stings for both franchises. The Lions have spent the offseason retooling their roster with an eye on a deep playoff run, and an offensive line shuffle now looks unavoidable — with at least one backup lineman getting an unexpected opportunity to seize a starting job, according to Yardbarker's analysis of Detroit's depth chart. Washington, meanwhile, must now figure out its protection scheme around Daniels without its top left tackle for an extended stretch.
What's Next
Both teams are expected to lean on internal depth rather than chase outside help this early in camp, though front offices around the league will be watching closely as final roster cuts approach. Preseason games this week will offer the first real look at how each team's replacement plans hold up, with the regular season opener now just weeks away.