Practice was back on schedule in Allen Park as the Detroit Lions reconvened after a long weekend following the Thanksgiving Day loss to the Buffalo Bills.
While some players returned from injuries from Week 12, a few still sat out the Wednesday session. The first practice injury report of the week featured four players sitting out with injuries. Five others were limited participants.
Here’s how they break down in the first injury report of Week 13.
Sitting out
Four players did no practice due to injures:
- RG Evan Brown (ankle)
- RT Penei Sewell (ankle)
- S Ifeatu Melifonwu (illness)
- DE Julian Okwara (elbow)
Brown missed Week 12 with his ankle injury, replaced by Dan Skipper. Sewell appeared to roll the ankle early in the loss to the Bills but played through it and played well.
Okwara hurt his elbow on a pass rush. He left the game, headed immediately to the locker room and did not return. Melifonwu has been back in the lineup for the last two games, playing exclusively on special teams.
Limited participants
Five players were limited participants for Wednesday’s session in advance of the game against the Jaguars at Ford Field on Sunday:
- LG Jonah Jackson (concussion)
- CB Jeff Okudah (concussion)
- DE Josh Paschal (knee)
- C Frank Ragnow (foot)
- CB Chase Lucas (hamstring)
That’s a meaty list of important players for Detroit; all but Lucas start and there is a considerable dropoff after them on the depth chart. However, this is also reflective of positive developments.
Both Okudah and Jackson missed the Bills game with concussions. Part of the NFL’s protocol to return from a brain injury is to go through a non-contact practice session in full, which is what both did on Wednesday. If no symptoms develop from that, it means they are very likely to be cleared to play vs. Jacksonville.
Paschal has not practiced in the last two weeks after playing well as a starter in the prior four games. Ragnow has battled the foot and toe issue all season and has played through it.
Jerry Jacobs
Jacobs left the Bills game with an apparent head injury and was originally said to be in the concussion protocol as well. However, Campbell refuted that on Monday and the fact Jacobs did not appear on the injury list supports the head coach. As a full participant in practice, Jacobs should be expected to start on Sunday.
Other not appearing on the list
A couple of notable players who do not appear on the list:
RB D’Andre Swift has been a full participant for the last two weeks but carried a designation of having an ankle and shoulder injury. Swift no longer carries those designations.
LB Malcolm Rodriguez has been limited with an elbow injury suffered in Week 9. He missed Week 10 and has been playing since with a harness on his elbow. He too is no longer listed with any injury designation.
