Detroit Lions Week 1 injury report: Frank Ragnow, Tommy Kraemer miss practice Thursday

The Detroit Lions injuries on the offensive line continue to mount as starting center Frank Ragnow was downgraded to no practice on Thursday. If things don’t improve quickly, the Lions are at risk of leaning on their reserves to start at center and right guard against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1.

No practice

• C Frank Ragnow (groin) — downgraded from limited on Wednesday
• IOL Tommy Kraemer (back)
• DL Levi Onwuzurike (back)

On Wednesday morning, coach Dan Campbell said their team was mulling over options for replacing Halapoulivaati Vaitai—who was placed on injured reserve—and specifically mentioned four possible solutions. By Thursday, two of those options are at risk, with Ragnow and Kraemer unable to practice.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson did mention that Ragnow went through Thursday morning’s walk-through, so there is still a glimmer of hope that their All-Pro center will be able to return to practice on Friday and suit up on Sunday, but if he is not, Evan Brown is ready and waiting to fill in.

If Kraemer is unable to play, Logan Stenberg remains a plug-and-play option at guard, and the team has also been exploring the idea of shifting Penei Sewell inside and promoting Matt Nelson to right tackle for this upcoming game.

Onwuzurike remains out and unlikely to be ready for Week 1, as expected.

Limited practice

• EDGE Julian Okwara (hamstring)
• S Ifeatu Melifonwu (hamstring)

Okwara has been stacking practices over the last two weeks and appears to be making progress towards returning to game action.

Melifonwu has now practiced for the second day in a row after not practicing for nearly a month. It’s too early to say if he will be acclimated and ready to contribute by Sunday.

Full practice

• K Austin Seibert (right groin) — upgraded from limited practice Wednesday
• LB Chris Board (knee) — upgraded from limited practice Wednesday
• EDGE John Cominsky (illness) — upgraded from no practice on Wednesday

Board’s upgrade to full practice is no surprise, as defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn told the media on Thursday that he was expecting all of the top-four linebackers (Alex Anzalone, Malcolm Rodriguez, Derrick Barnes, and Board) to contribute on Sunday

“All those guys are going to play,” Glenn said.

Cominsky missed Wednesday with an illness and was back on the practice field on Thursday.

Seibert’s injury sounds precautionary, per special teams coordinator Dave Fipp, even though he declined to name a starting kicker for this weekend’s game—Aldrick Rosas could be elevated from the practice squad if needed.

“He was limited, I guess, on the practice report,” Fipp said about Seibert on Thursday. “I know that he went out there and did everything we’d ask him to do on a Wednesday, and going into today’s practice, we expect him to do everything he would do on a Thursday.”

Eagles injury report

Here’s a look at the Eagles’ Thursday injury report: