Lions vs Packers Week 13: Final injury report + Frank Ragnow is back

The Lions will be wearing their throwback uniforms on Thanksgiving. The Lions will also soon be getting a throwback center with the news of Frank Ragnow's retirement from hunting... and unretirement from football.

While he won't be ready to hunt cheese on Thanksgiving, he should be ready next week vs the Cowboys or the week after vs the Rams.

Frank Ragnow medical history

Ragnow's retirement in the offseason was a shock because he seemingly had a very healthy 2024 season, missing only 1 game with a left pec strain.

In 2023, he was banged up a bit as he missed 1 game with a calf strain, 2 games with a left knee meniscus...

... and then suffered a suspected left MCL and high ankle sprain in the playoffs.

The underlying reason for his retirement may stem from a turf toe injury that started or was aggravated in 2021. The toe became a chronic "unfixable" issue.

While Ragnow's toe may not be fixable, the Lions offensive line may be fixable with Ragnow back at center. Looking ahead, his availability next season seems promising given this late-season return. He is signed with the Lions through the 2026 season and is just 29-years-old.

Even though he's only been back with the team for a few hours, it may not be too early to talk about an extension.

Tight end woes

The tight end group would certainly like to throwback to the beginning of the season when they were all healthy. Somehow, the Lions will be without their top 4 TE's for turkey day.

Let's recap in chronological order:

#1 Kenny Yeboah - Suspected right knee injury in preseason. On IR and out for season.

#2 Shane Zylstra - Suspected right high ankle sprain on September 14. On IR, but could return.

#3 Sam LaPorta - Back surgery. On IR and very likely out for season.

#4 Brock Wright - Neck injury last game. Unknown prognosis.

A reader was able to find an alternate camera angle of Wright's neck injury mechanism…

Hopefully, Wright has just a simple sprain and avoided any spinal injury. If he does not go on IR before the Packers game, then a spinal issue is much less likely.

Lions vs Packers final injury report

TRENDS

• The Lions got a nice upgrade with Brian Branch as well as good news with Marcus Davenport. There was a lack of expected upgrade with Graham Glasgow and an unexpected downgrade with Josh Paschal - both of whom are out.

• The Packers will be without Jayden Reed for another week, but got very good news with Josh Jacobs who is in. Keisean Nixon got a mild upgrade and is listed as questionable. Quay Walker is another key defender who is questionable. Karl Brooks and Lukas Van Ness are out which helps the Lions offensive line.

Lions starters out:

• Out: Sam LaPorta, TE

• Out: Christian Mahogany, LG

• Out: Kerby Joseph, S

• Out: Graham Glasgow, C

(NP - no practice, LP - limited practice, FP - full practice)

DETROIT LIONS

OUT - Graham Glasgow, C (left knee) starter

His unavailability is a surprise coming out of last game in which he played all snaps and didn't appear to have any significant issue. He hurt his left knee against the Eagles in the previous game, so I suspect an aggravation of that knee is the explanation. With the imminent return of Ragnow, Glasgow may get more time to recover.

OUT - Kerby Joseph, S (left knee) starter

Joseph last played on October 12. It's another week of NP's which puts next week vs the Cowboys in doubt... a sentence you'll recognize if you've been reading these final injury reports over the past month. It does appear in recent videos that he is ramping up his workouts though, so maybe soon?

OUT - Josh Paschal, EDGE (back)

After a FP in a walkthrough on Monday, Paschal followed up with 2x NP which is curious and potentially ominous. Did he have a setback from just a walkthrough? Or is there something else going on?

Add this to the curiosity that he was placed on NFI, not PUP, which implies the injury was not football related or the player was doing something the team didn't approve of.

OUT - Kalif Raymond, WR (left ankle)

On video, Raymond may have suffered a left high ankle sprain last game. Dan Campbell's statements this week imply that he did not suffer a fracture which is good news. Depending on severity, it's something that he could return from within 1-2 weeks - or keep him out multiple weeks and land him on IR.

OUT - Brock Wright, TE (neck)

Wright may have injured his neck last game when he landed on his head in the 2nd quarter. He did finish out the game without issue. Hopefully, it's just a simple sprained neck and he can start practice after Thanksgiving. In the meantime, he's on IR-watch.

QUESTIONABLE - Terrion Arnold, CB (concussion) starter

After missing the last 2 games, Arnold should have a good chance to play on Thanksgiving.

QUESTIONABLE - Marcus Davenport, EDGE (right shoulder) starter

Davenport has not played since September 14 with a reported pec strain. The full week of FP has him on track to play. He was activated on Day 15 of his window which signals that he will be in.

QUESTIONABLE - Taylor Decker, OT (right shoulder) starter

Based on patterns all season, Decker will play his 6th straight game.

QUESTIONABLE - Miles Frazier, OG (knee)

Frazier's 21-day window expired, and he was "activated" to the 53-man roster today. If he was not activated, he would have been lost for the season. Thus, the activation does not imply he will play. He may still be inactive on gameday for health reasons or coach's decision.

QUESTIONABLE - Tate Ratledge, OG (knee) starter

Ratledge hurt his left knee vs the Eagles 2 weeks ago. The full week of LP suggests he will be in.

QUESTIONABLE - Penei Sewell, OT (ankle) starter

Sewell injured his left ankle 3 weeks ago and still may be hampered by it. He was slow getting up in the 2nd quarter vs the Giants, but played 100% of snaps. He had a full week of LP and should be in on Thanksgiving.

QUESTIONABLE - Isaac TeSlaa, WR (hand)

It's uncertain what's going on with the hand, but the 3x LP this week is very reassuring.

QUESTIONABLE - Sione Vaki, RB (ankle/thumb)

A new thumb injury popped up on the report this week. The ankle has been going on for weeks. The 3x LP is reassuring.

IN - Brian Branch, S (toe/ankle) starter

Branch had a toe listing entering the Giants game. The ankle listing showed up after the game. He was slow getting up at the 10 minute mark of the 3rd quarter but video didn't show any obvious injury.

Even though he played 100% of snaps, he didn't look quite right last game. It's really good news that he was not given a "questionable" designation for this game, as that implies he is close to full health.

IN - Jacob Saylors, RB (back/shoulder)

Saylors has been on the report recently with the back injury but has played through.

PUP/NFI

• Alim McNeill, DT (ACL) - returned to play Oct 20 (Day 20 of window)

• Malcolm Rodriguez, LB (ACL) - returned to play Nov 23 (Day 27 post-window)

• Josh Paschal, EDGE (back) - window opened Nov 5

• Miles Frazier, OG (knee) - window opened Nov 5, activated to roster Nov 26

IR (injured reserve) - eligible to return this season

(Rules recap: There is no limit to the number of players that can be placed on IR. Must stay on IR for minimum 4 games. Only 8 are allowed to return during regular season plus bonus 2 for the playoffs. Last season, Lions used 7 returns during regular season and 1 during playoffs.)

Eligible return dates:

• Week 7: Shane Zylstra

• Week 8 (bye)

• Week 9 vs Vikings:

• Week 10 vs Commanders (Nov 9):

• Week 11 vs Eagles (Nov 16): Giovanni Manu

• Week 12 vs Giants (Nov 23):

• current Week 13 vs Packers (Nov 27): Zach Cunningham

• Week 14 vs Cowboys (Dec 4): Christian Mahogany

• Week 15 vs Rams (Dec 14): Sam LaPorta

• Week 16 vs Steelers (Dec 21):

IR returns: 4 - Thomas, Reed, Davenport, Dorsey

IR players:

• Sam LaPorta, TE (back, Nov 9) -  Unspecified back surgery and almost certainly out for the season.

• Pat O'Connor, DT (knee, Nov 2) - Placed on IR Nov 14, then released on Nov 15.

• Christian Mahogany, OG (suspected left fibula fracture, Nov 2) - This fracture is not necessarily season-ending. He has a chance to return in December.

• Zach Cunningham, LB (hamstring, Oct 20) - In his first game back from a hamstring first suffered at the end of September, he presumably injured it again.

• Giovanni Manu, OT (knee, Oct 9) - Presumably hurt himself in practice. On Nov 5, Dan Campbell stated: "Gio's still a few weeks out. I don't see us starting him within the next week or two."

• returned Khalil Dorsey, CB (wrist, Oct 3) - Returned to play Nov 23 (Day 4 of window)

• returned DJ Reed, CB (left hamstring, Sep 28) - Returned to play Nov 23 (Day 12 of window)

• returned Daniel Thomas, S (forearm fracture, Sep 22) - Returned to play Nov 9 (Day 14 of window)

• returned Marcus Davenport, EDGE (right pec strain, Sep 14) - Returned to play Nov 27 (Day 16 of window)

• Shane Zylstra, TE (suspected right high ankle sprain, Sep 14) - Video suggested a high ankle sprain which can take around 1-2 months - longer if there is a fracture. Hope he can start practicing sometime in November.

• Jamarco Jones, OT (ankle, Sep 4) - Eligible to return anytime, but was ruled out for season.

• Ezekiel Turner, LB (Achilles, Aug 23) - Eligible to return anytime but suspected to not be returning. Note: there is uncertainty whether Turner was actually designated eligible to return on the cutdown date.

IR - NOT eligible to return this season (key players listed)

• Ennis Rakestraw, CB (shoulder)

• Levi Onwuzurike, DT (ACL)

• Kenny Yeboah, TE (unspecified)

• Colby Sorsdal, OG (leg)

• Justin Herron, OT (arm)

• Dan Jackson, S (leg)

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions vs Packers Week 13: Final injury report + Frank Ragnow is back