The Detroit Lions are facing injuries across multiple positions. While a couple of veteran offensive linemen are dealing with late-season issues, both were able to return to practice by the end of the week in Allen Park.
Running back David Montgomery was the only active player absent from Friday’s practice due to a knee injury. However, there’s a chance he could return for the postseason, depending on whether the team decides to place him on injured reserve.
Center Frank Ragnow (rest/back) and guard Graham Glasgow (knee) were both seen on the field during the open portion of practice, which is a positive sign as neither had practiced earlier in the week. This comes as the team prepares for their weekend matchup in Chicago.
Glasgow had some bumps and bruises following last week’s loss to the Buffalo Bills, while Ragnow is familiar with taking rest days at this point in the season, though he did have a back issue added to Thursday’s injury report.
Head coach Dan Campbell had previously mentioned that he didn’t expect Glasgow to practice fully by the end of the week, so he may be listed as a limited participant when the official report is released. Nonetheless, Glasgow was seen practicing with the team, so it remains to be seen how that affects his availability.
Defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle/finger) and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck) both returned to practice this week. They are still in the early stages of their 21-day return windows, and the Lions don’t expect either player to be active for this weekend’s game.
Head coach Dan Campbell expressed optimism about Reeves-Maybin’s recovery, but he also stated, “I don’t see him playing this week.” The same sentiment applied to Melifonwu, though Campbell sounded slightly more optimistic about his short-term outlook.
Campbell explained, “A lot of this is about getting his legs back under him and making him comfortable this week. We’re not ruling anything out. I’m not ruling anything out. He’s gotten a little better each day, and he’ll practice today. We’re working him into some drills and just seeing where he’s at. But it’s good to have him back, good to see him out there, moving around, working his position. So that’s a positive.”
