Detroit Lions' Frank Ragnow 'ready to go' vs. 49ers despite assortment of injuries
Frank Ragnow practiced Friday for the first time this week with his leg taped so heavily it looked like he could’ve been in a cast.
Ragnow, who injured his knee and ankle in last week's playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was a full participant in practice despite an assortment of injuries — ankle, toe, knee and back — but the Detroit Lions left no doubt their Pro Bowl center will be on the field for Sunday’s NFC championship game against the San Francisco 49ers when they did not give him a injury designation on Friday’s practice report.
"He’s good," Lions coach Dan Campbell said before practice. "You know Frank, Frank’s doing well. And Frank’ll be ready to go. You’re not going to hold him out of this one and he gets better every day, but he’ll be ready."
The Lions will be without two starters Sunday. Left guard Jonah Jackson will miss the game with the knee injury he suffered in last week's divisional win over the Bucs, and return man Kalif Raymond is out for the third straight week with a knee injury he suffered in the regular season finale.
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But the team is healthy otherwise heading into its biggest game in 32 years.
Cornerback Chase Lucas is questionable to play after he missed two days this week with an illness, and third-string quarterback Hendon Hooker (tooth) is questionable after he missed practice Friday.
Lucas returned to practice Friday and has been a key special teams player for the Lions this postseason.
Pass rusher James Houston, who has not played since returning from injured reserve, also does not have an injury designation on the practice report.
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The Lions have been noncommittal on whether he will play Sunday for the first time since fracturing his fibula in a Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
"I think he’s very close," Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said Thursday. "The thing that we want to do, we want to protect that player from themselves for the most part. Listen, I do not take injuries lightly, especially make sure we listen to the medical department to make sure we bring that player along exactly how he needs to come along. He’s doing a really good job in practice. You can tell he’s getting back to form to where he was. And hopefully, we’ll get a chance to put that player on the field, so he can make some plays for us.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions' Frank Ragnow 'ready to go' despite several injuries
