Detroit Lions injury update – Syndication Server

Kerby Joseph had surgery for an ongoing hip injury, out until training camp

Joseph’s injury spotlights the rather alarming lack of depth at safety in Detroit

In his second NFL season, Lions safety Kerby Joseph had an up-and-down campaign. Some of the downs might be explained by a hip injury Joseph suffered in Detroit’s Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The ball-hawking safety missed the next two games before returning to action. His coverage range and closing burst were not the same for the rest of the season, however.

At Thursday night’s uniform release party at Ford Field, Joseph indicated the hip injury required offseason surgery. The recovery will wipe out all of his offseason prior to training camp.

“[I’m not] gonna come back until training camp,” Joseph said via the Detroit News. “Y’all just bear with me. But I’ll be back.”

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The 2022 third-round draft pick insisted he won’t return until he’s ready and at a full go.

“If I’m out there, I’m going 100%. [There isn’t a] hindrance. I’m gonna give it all I got every time,” Joseph continued.

His injured status spotlights the rather alarming lack of depth at safety as the Lions enter the draft. Joseph and oft-injured Ifeatu Melifonwu, who has missed 17 games in three seasons with various injuries, are the projected starters. The only depth not committed to playing elsewhere (Brian Branch is Detroit’s starting slot DB) is 2023 undrafted rookie Brandon Joseph, who spent his rookie year on the practice squad.

Frank Ragnow declares he’s coming back for 2024

Lions center Frank Ragnow declares he’s coming back for 2024 after thinking about retirement

The Detroit Lions scored a big win on Thursday night. While it wasn’t an NFL Honors award, this victory is even better.

Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Lions All-Pro center Frank Ragnow has decided to keep playing. There had been some consideration that Ragnow could retire due to his chronic toe injury and other maladies. GM Brad Holmes lent some credence to the retirement potential in his year-ending press conference, too.

“I’m not retiring,” Ragnow said via Birkett.

It’s great news for the Lions, who still face the reality of having their top three guards all hitting free agency. Ragnow is the key to the line calls and continuity, aside from being one of the best all-around talents in the NFL.

All-Pro center Frank Ragnow expected to play vs. 49ers

Lions center Frank Ragnow was on this week’s injury list with four different maladies. No matter…

According to Lions head coach Dan Campbell, the All-Pro center will be out there starting in the NFC Championship game on Sunday night in San Francisco. Ragnow is living up to his reputation as one of the NFL’s toughest players.

“He’s good. You know Frank, Frank’s doing well. And Frank will be ready to go. I mean you’re not going to hold him out of this one, and he gets better every day. So, he’ll be ready,” Campbell said of Ragnow.

Ragnow has missed practices all week with reported injuries to his knee, back, ankle and toe. He suffered the knee injury in the Divisional round win over the Buccaneers but only missed a few plays.

Lions injury update: Sam LaPorta upgrades, Chase Lucas sits out

Sam LaPorta upgrades, Chase Lucas sits out of Thursday’s practice ahead of the NFC Championship game

The Detroit Lions practice participation report from Thursday’s session in Allen Park had a couple of notable changes from the Wednesday edition.

Good news first!

Tight end Sam LaPorta upgraded from out on Wednesday to being a limited participant on Thursday. The All-Pro is still dealing with the knee injury he suffered in Week 18. LaPorta has played in both playoff games and is expected to do so again, barring any setbacks.

Now for the negative…

Special teams standout Chase Lucas sat out with an undisclosed illness. Lucas has been fantastic as the gunner on special teams since returning to the Lions after being cut during the season.

Frank Ragnow, Jonah Jackson and Kalif Raymond all remained out. Ragnow is the only one of that trio who projects to be available to play in San Francisco on Sunday.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone and wideout Josh Reynolds were limited for the second day in a row. Anzalone has been playing through broken ribs. Reynolds is also dealing with a rib injury.

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Aaron Glenn says Lions EDGE James Houston ‘is very close’ to playing

Detroit DC Aaron Glenn says Lions EDGE James Houston ‘is very close’ to playing in the NFC Championship game

James Houston hasn’t been active for a Detroit Lions game since Week 2. In the loss to the Seahawks back in September, the second-year pass rusher suffered a serious ankle injury.

The Lions activated Houston from the injured reserve prior to the NFC Divisional round game against the Buccaneers, but he was inactive for Sunday’s game. The prolonged absence has many Lions fans crying foul over how the team has handled the 2022 rookie sack phenom.

“I think he’s very close,” Glenn said of Houston. “The thing we want to do is protect that player from himself for the most part.”

Glenn continued,

“I do NOT take injuries lightly. Especially to make sure we listen to the medical department to make sure we bring that player along exactly how he needs to come along.”

Houston was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, though it was a walkthrough. Given how poorly Romeo Okwara and John Cominsky fared at the EDGE role opposite Aidan Hutchinson in the Buccaneers game, it seems safe to say that if Glenn, the medical staff and the Lions coaches think Houston is capable of playing, he’ll be on the field in San Francisco for the NFC Championship game.

Lions first injury report for the NFC Championship week: 4 players held out

Lions first injury report for the NFC Championship week: 4 players held out including Sam LaPorta

The Detroit Lions held a walkthrough in lieu of practice on Wednesday. It was the first day of preparation for Detroit’s trip to San Francisco to face the 49ers in the NFC Championship game.

With it being a walkthrough, the Lions coaching staff provided estimated participation reports for the players dealing with injuries. Four Lions players were designated as out from practice:

LG Jonah Jackson (knee)

TE Sam LaPorta (knee)

WR Kalif Raymond (knee)

C Frank Ragnow (ankle, toe, knee, back)

Jackson and Raymond were expected to be out, and neither is anticipated to be able to play against the 49ers. LaPorta is still dealing with the hyperextended knee and bone bruise he suffered in the Week 18 win over the Vikings. He has played both games since.

Then there’s Ragnow. Typically, the “rest” designation is listed along with the toe issue. But this time, he’s rendered out with four separate injuries. Ragnow’s toughness is the stuff of legends, but it bears watching if he can practice at all during the rest of the week.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone (shoulder and ribs) and wide receiver Josh Reynolds (ribs) were both designated as limited participants. EDGE James Houston was deemed a full participant with his ankle issue.

Lions postgame injury update: Bad news for 2 players

Lions postgame injury update: Bad news for 2 players after the win over the Buccaneers

The Detroit Lions advanced to the NFC Championship game next weekend with a 31-23 home win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Unfortunately, head coach Dan Campbell indicated after the game that two members of the Lions offense are unlikely to make the trip to San Francisco to play in that game.

Tight end Brock Wright, who made a critical catch and run in Sunday’s win, will be out with a broken forearm. Wright initially told Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News that he suffered the broken arm later in the game. Campbell confirmed the injury in his postgame press conference.

Campbell also didn’t have good news on starting left guard Jonah Jackson, who left the game in the first half with a knee injury. Jackson did not return.

“Doesn’t look really good for next week,” Campbell said of the injuries. “But we’ll see,” he added.

Kayode Awosika filled in for Jackson for the remainder of the game. He figures to be the replacement against the 49ers.

As for Wright and tight end, the Lions have Anthony Firkser behind rookie Sam LaPorta, who showed no ill effects from his Week 18 knee injury. Reserves James Mitchell and Shane Zylstra are on injured reserve. Expect the Lions to add a tight end to the mix during the week, as they don’t currently have any on the practice squad.

Lions injury update: Jonah Jackson OUT, Frank Ragnow back in the lineup

The Lions suffered a couple of significant offensive line injuries in the first half of the NFC Divisional Round game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Left guard JOnah Jackson left the game midway through the first half with a knee injury. Jackson was initially listed as questionable to return, but coming out of halftime, the Lions ruled him out for the rest of the game.

All-Pro center Frank Ragnow also departed the game after getting rolled up on from behind on a second-quarter play. Thankfully Ragnow’s injury looked worse than it actually was, as No. 77 returned to action on the subsequent Lions drive and also played in the second half.

James Houston is activated from Lions injured reserve

The Lions activated Houston at the deadline to decide, waiving Julian Okwara to make room

Thursday marked a deadline for the Detroit Lions to activate pass rusher James Houston from the injured reserve list. The second-year EDGE showed enough in practice to get activated from I.R. and ready for action against the Buccaneers in the NFC Divisional Round.

Designated for return 21 days earlier, Houston had been practicing with the team in hopes of showing he had recovered enough from his ankle injury to make a difference on the defense. Houston suffered the injury while playing special teams in Week 2.

Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn made it clear in his press conference prior to the playoff game against the Rams that Houston had to prove he could be effective in practice before being activated,

“Practice. That’s it, go out and practice and see how effective you can be. If you’re effective then we’ll put you in there and let you play.”

The second-year EDGE played just 32 defensive snaps prior to the injury and registered one QB pressure and one tackle. He burst onto the scene with eight sacks in six games at the end of his rookie season after initially not making the roster as a fifth-round pick out of Jackson State.

To make room for the welcomed return of Houston, the Lions waived EDGE Julian Okwara, who had been a healthy scratch of late.

James Mitchell has surgery on his hand

Lions TE James Mitchell has surgery on his hand and looks like he’s done for the year

Lions tight end James Mitchell went from being a full participant in Wednesday’s practice to now ruled out for Detroit’s wild card game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. He suffered a hand injury during Thursday’s practice session.

Thanks to his social media, it’s clear Mitchell’s injury was not a minor one.

Mitchell’s partner posted on her Instagram story a picture of Mitchell in his hospital bed. His left hand is heavily wrapped after the surgery. Mitchell shared the story on his own social media channels.

It looks like Mitchell will be heading to the injured reserve when the Lions announce their roster moves later on Saturday.