CBS: Lions injury report

Lions injury report for Week 18: Benito Jones is out of practice, Taylor Decker is back

Lions To Place LT Taylor Decker On IR

As the Detroit Lions get ready to play the Minnesota Vikings, let’s take a look at their injury report for Week 18.

In order to get ready for their Week 18 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, the Detroit Lions returned to action on Thursday. The Lions returned a starter to a full practice today and added a couple more players to the injury report, though none of the additions are very troubling at this time.

Let’s examine the other changes that have been made to the Lions’ injury report.

Absent practice
C Frank Ragnow — veteran rest day (foot, back, and knee)
RG Day of rest for veterans: Graham Glasgow
WR Jameson Williams (disease/ankle)
TE DT for Brock Wright (groin) Benito Jones’s condition was updated in Thursday’s report.
Ragnow was scheduled to miss practice as part of the injury maintenance regimen he has been on the entire season, as we stated in yesterday’s report. He should be back at practice on Friday and prepared to play on Sunday.

For veteran relaxation, Glasgow was also granted a day off.

Williams’s prognosis is less hopeful. The Lions are anticipated to allow him relax and prepare for the postseason because he is still recovering from an ankle ailment and the playoffs are quickly approaching. To further complicate things, he is coping with an ailment.

Wright’s circumstances are even less favorable. He has now missed two games and eight consecutive sessions after missing on Thursday. It’s still possible that he could make a comeback in time for the playoffs, but he’ll need to get back to training quickly.

Reliving the Dolphins-Cowboys Thanksgiving 1993 is worthwhile.

Jones reported missing time from action on Thursday due to illness, but as we have seen in recent weeks, this may be a little setback that won’t keep him out of the game or it might be something more significant. Before we find anything more, we’ll need to wait until Friday to see if he can take part.

Estimated restricted usage

TE Sam LaPorta, DT, ankle Alm McNeill (IR, knee): 19 EDGE assessment days are left. There are fourteen evaluation days left for James Houston (IR, ankle).
LaPorta’s ankle ailment didn’t seem to worry coach Dan Campbell too much, and the rookie appears to be ready for Sunday practice based on his continued practice output. Expect the Lions to exert a lot of pressure on him.

McNeill is still scheduled to play on Sunday and rejoin the active roster this weekend. With McNeill back, the Lions should have a lot more alternatives to bolster their interior defensive line presence, but they have had to be resourceful in their approach.

Although Houston is not expected to be available this week, according to Campbell’s prior statements, he is expected to return soon, ideally in time for the postseason’s opening round.

complete workout
LT Taylor Decker (groin) was upgraded after missing Wednesday’s DB practice. Days left for C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s examination (IR, pectoral): 6 CB Sutton Cameron (toe)

After missing practice on Wednesday, Decker showed up on Thursday and completed a full practice. Although the Lions will probably take it easy with him so he is ready for the playoffs, the fact that he played through the injury last week with little trouble is a highly encouraging sign.

Gardner-Johnson is anticipated to play alongside teammates safety Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu this week in addition to making a comeback. Ahead of this weekend’s game, expect Gardner-Johnson to be activated to the 53-man roster.

It looks likely that Sutton will play this weekend after suffering a toe injury late last week, which he healed to play through last Saturday. Since then, he has been practicing nonstop.

Vikings injury report
Absent practice

WR Jalen Nailor (brain injury) LT Christian Darrisaw’s condition was updated to the report on Thursday.
RT Brian O’Neill, left ankle Roy Jaquelin (ankle)
CB Jr. Byron Murphy’s knee
CB Mekhi Blackmon was demoted from limited due to a shoulder injury.

Limited