Isaiah Buggs: Lions told me I’m not playing Thursday night

Defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs signed a two-year contract to stay with the Lions after starting 13 games last year, but his 2023 season isn’t getting off on the right foot.

Buggs missed practice on Saturday and posted on social media Sunday that “I’m good, but just know situations change,” which touched off speculation about his possible departure from the team. Buggs remains on the roster and was back with the team Monday, but he told reporters that the team has informed him that he will not be active for Thursday night’s opener against the Chiefs.

“As of right now, they told me that I was not going to play,” Buggs said, via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News. “So that’s what we got. I’m going to be straightforward with it, because they were straightforward with me with that. And as of right now, I will not be playing. . . . It was a surprise to me, actually. That’s why I say, you don’t always know everything.”

The Lions still list Buggs as a starter on their unofficial depth chart, but Benito Jones and Brodric Martin look like they will be filling that spot on the line while Buggs tries to work his way back into the mix up front in Detroit.