Lately, Wednesday practices for the Detroit Lions have been light. This week, it was a rest day for several players. The first practice report of the week is not all that indicative of a player's availability, with Thursday typically more telling. Someone popping up on a Thursday injury report with a new injury can be a practical indication they won't play that Sunday.
Thursday's practice report for the Lions was sure to show players who rested (with no injury listed) on Wednesday graduating to full participation. Anything else would land as concerning.
Second Lions injury report for Week 16 brings surprise return to practice
Here is Thursday's practice report for the Lions (FP=Full participant, LP=Limited participant, NP=Non-participant.
- OG Graham Glasgow (knee)-NP
- RB David Montgomery (knee)-NP
- C Frank Ragnow (back)-NP
- DB Brian Branch (calf)-LP
- LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck)-LP
- OT Taylor Decker (rest)-FP
- S Ifeatu Melifonwu (hand)-FP
- LB Trevor Nowaske (concussion)-FP
- DT DJ Reader (rest)-FP
- DE Za'Darius Smith (rest)-FP
- WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (rest)-FP
- OG Kevin Zeitler (rest)-FP
Decker, Reader, Smith, St. Brown and Zeitler moved from a rest day on Wednesday to being full participants in Thursday's practice.
Glasgow is dealing with a knee injury from last week's game against the Bills, and on Monday Dan Campbell said he was "a little sore, but came out ok." Still, missing two practices creates pessimism Glasgow will be able to play on Sunday.
Montgomery is seeking a third opinion on the MCL injury to his right knee. An IR stint may still be coming, but he is just about a lock to miss Sunday's game against his former team.
After being listed as a non-participant due to rest on Wednesday, Ragnow was listed with a back issue on Thursday. Amid all the other injuries the team has dealt with it's easy to forget he missed a game early in the season with a torn pectoral, but otherwise this has been a pretty clean injury season for the Lions' center after all the stuff he deal with last year. For now, there isn't a lot of concern Ragnow will miss Sunday's game.
Branch moved from not practicing on Wednesday to being limited on Thursday. That's a good sign he'll be able to suit up on Sunday.
Last Monday, Dec. 9, Campbell did not seem very optimistic about Reeves-Maybin returning to action anytime soon. But he practiced on Thursday, thus starting his 21-day evaluation window to come off IR.
Nowaske missed last week's game with a concussion, but he seems on track to play Sunday after logging back-to-back full practices.
Melifonwu was a full participant again on Thursday as he works his way back from a hand injury. His 21-day window to come off IR now has 19 days left, but there seems to be a chance (however slim?) he will be able to play on Sunday. Campbell may have some insight before Friday's practice.