Lions Place Anthony Firkser on Injured Reserve, Re-sign Zach Horton

Overview

• Anthony Firkser suffered a broken fibula in Monday's padded practice and was placed on injured reserve, ending his 2026 season.
• The Lions filled Firkser's roster spot by re-signing 23-year-old Zach Horton, who cleared waivers after being cut days earlier and appeared in two games for Detroit last year.
• Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright are now the top healthy tight ends while Tyler Conklin remains on the PUP list and rookie Miles Kitselman is expected to be sidelined for a stretch.
• Firkser had shown early camp promise, including catching two red-zone touchdowns in drills, making his loss notable for both special teams and short-yardage offense.
• The injury accelerates a depth evaluation during preseason work and likely turns Horton into a short-term depth option competing for a practice-squad or third tight end role.