Detroit Lions Week 11 injury designations: Frank Ragnow questionable, Josh Paschal OUT vs. Giants

The Detroit Lions released their injury designations ahead of the Week 11 game with the New York Giants and it appears very likely that they will have their All-Pro center Frank Ragnow available for this critical matchup.

Reserve list: 21-day evaluation clock

• WR DJ Chark (ankle, IR): Day 3 (latest update)
• EDGE Romeo Okwara (Achilles, PUP): Day 3 (latest update)

If the Lions decide to remove either player from the reserve list and place them on the active roster, that move would traditionally come on Saturday. At this time, Chark returning seems much more realistic than Okwara.

Ruled OUT

• EDGE Charles Harris (groin)
• EDGE Josh Paschal (knee)

With Harris and Paschal unable to play, the Lions will surely keep Aidan Hutchinson at rush end and lean on John Cominsky at closed end, a role he held last week after Paschal was injured. Julian Okwara will see his role grow and Austin Bryant—who has been a healthy scratch the last two weeks—will be back in the lineup for depth.

Questionable

• C Frank Ragnow (foot)
• WR Josh Reynolds (back)
• LB Malcolm Rodriguez (elbow)
• S DeShon Elliott (concussion)

Also during his Friday presser Campbell told the media that the coaching staff is expecting to have Ragnow available for Sunday.

“He will be out there running around today, so I’m pretty optimistic for Sunday,” Campbell said. “I’m pretty optimistic for Frank.”

Having Ragnow available would be a tremendous help for the Lions offense, as the Giants best defensive player is Dexter Lawrence and he lines up at the 0-technique (directly over the center). Having arguably your best offensive player available—even if Ragnow is banged up—could go a long way toward success in New York.

Reynolds was unable to practice the last two weeks, returned to practice on Thursday, only to not practice again on Friday. Questionable leaves the door open, but with a travel day on Saturday, it’s likely we get an update on his status then. If he does travel with the team, he’d still have to pass a medical checkup ahead of the game.

Rodriguez is still working with a brace on his elbow, but he did get in three full practices this week which is a good sign he may be able to return to the field. How much he will be able to contribute is still a bit unknown.

It’s unclear if Elliott remains in the league’s concussion protocol. He was listed as a limited participant in Friday’s practice, but he was not spotted out there during the portion of practice open to the media. If he is unable to play, look for the Lions to turn to C.J. Moore to start at safety alongside Kerby Joseph, with JuJu Hughes and Ifeatu Melifonwu as depth options.

No injury designation

• RB D’Andre Swift (ankle, shoulder)
• RB Jamaal Williams (illness)
• LT Taylor Decker (veteran rest)
• OT Matt Nelson (calf)
• NB Chase Lucas (ankle)
• S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle)

Williams and Decker missed practice Wednesday, but the rest of the players in this group were able to practice in full all week. Swift could still see a managed workload as he slowly inches closer to full health But for the other three—Nelson, Lucas, Melifonwu—they have not played in several games, and getting them back on the field will help with depth on offense/defense and special teams.

Giants injury designations

The Giants will be without their top tight end, Daniel Bellinger, while their starting right tackle, first-round pick Evan Neal, is doubtful to play. Among the players with a questionable designation starting left guard Josh Ezeudu seems the most vulnerable considering he was a midweek addition and any neck injury is typically approached with caution.