Instead of a full practice, the Lions just had a walk-through on Wednesday. With the exception of a few key players, Detroit's 53-man roster is in good shape heading into their divisional playoff matchup with Tampa Bay.
Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta was labeled as a full participant after participating in Sunday's win over the Rams, despite suffering a knee injury. During his news conference on Wednesday, head coach Dan Campbell mentioned that LaPorta is making progress and is doing better now than he was last week at this time.
"I couldn't believe it. We were assisted by him. Despite his fatigue, Campbell credited him with a key contribution to the team's victory.
Even though he's still a rookie and not quite sure what he's doing, I believe our young athlete still recognized he could contribute and get the job done. In my opinion, that is rather significant. For an aspiring athlete, that is no simple task.
Campbell elaborated by saying that LaPorta would not have played if they thought he may aggravate his condition and require extensive rest.
LaPorta scored a touchdown in the victory over the Rams after receiving three catches for fourteen yards.
Kalif Raymond, a receiver, and Frank Ragnow, a center, would not have participated in practice due to injuries. Alex Anzalone, a linebacker, would have been limited due to a shoulder injury.
They would have all played to their full potential: linebacker James Houston (ankle), tight end Brock Wright (hip), safety Kerby Joseph (knee), and defensive back Brian Branch (knee). Despite being designated for return, Houston remains on injured reserve.