Lately, Wednesday practices for the Detroit Lions have been relatively light. This week, several players took rest days. The first practice report of the week often provides limited insight into player availability, with Thursday’s report typically being more telling. When a player appears on a Thursday report with a new injury, it often signals they may be unavailable for Sunday’s game.
Thursday’s report for the Lions was expected to confirm which players transitioned from rest days on Wednesday to full participation. Any deviations from this trend could raise concerns.
Second Lions Injury Report for Week 16 Includes a 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
Several players—Decker, Reader, Smith, St. Brown, and Zeitler—moved from rest days on Wednesday to full participation on Thursday.
Key Updates on Injured Players
Graham Glasgow (knee): Glasgow sustained a knee injury during last week’s game against the Bills. On Monday, head coach Dan Campbell described him as “a little sore but came out OK.” However, missing two consecutive practices casts doubt on his availability for Sunday.
David Montgomery (knee): Montgomery is seeking a third opinion on the MCL injury in his right knee. An IR designation remains a possibility, and he is almost certain to miss Sunday’s game against his former team.
Frank Ragnow (back): After being listed as a non-participant due to rest on Wednesday, Ragnow was listed with a back issue on Thursday. While he missed a game earlier this season with a torn pectoral, his injury history this year has been relatively clean. There’s no significant concern yet that he’ll miss Sunday’s game.
Brian Branch (calf): Branch progressed from not practicing on Wednesday to limited participation on Thursday, a positive sign for his availability on Sunday.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck): Campbell had expressed doubts on Dec. 9 about Reeves-Maybin’s return timeline. However, his participation in Thursday’s practice opened his 21-day evaluation window to come off IR, marking an encouraging development.
Trevor Nowaske (concussion): After missing last week’s game, Nowaske logged full practices on consecutive days, putting him on track to play on Sunday.
Ifeatu Melifonwu (hand): Melifonwu was a full participant again on Thursday as he recovers from a hand injury. His 21-day IR evaluation window has 19 days remaining, but there’s a slim chance he could suit up on Sunday. Campbell may provide more clarity after Friday’s practice.
