Nine Lions Miss Wednesday Practice

Lions release first injury report of Week 16.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) runs against Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch (32). / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions are navigating a number of injury issues heading into the final three-game stretch of the regular season.

With three more players going on injured reserve, the Lions now have 21 players on the inactive list. Detroit has been able to get some players back off of IR, including safety Ifeatu Melifonwu beginning his return-to-practice window on Wednesday.

However, the NFL only allows teams to designated eight players to return from IR during the regular season. Teams that make the postseason can return two additional players, and since the Lions have already clinched a berth in the playoffs they will be able to utilize this.

Though the Lions have so many players on IR, coach Dan Campbell does not believe the team will utilize all of its available designations.

“Well, I think really just with – I think it’s going to work out OK here because unfortunately, a number of our guys are done-done. So, it makes it pretty clear cut from that standpoint," Campbell said. "So, I don’t think that we’re going to run into an issue here with who’s able to come back and that.”

This rule could be important for Detroit late in the year, as players such as Alex Anzalone, Kalif Raymond and Ennis Rakestraw could be designated to return late in the regular season or into the postseason.

The deeper Detroit goes into the postseason, the more realistic the chance becomes that it could get Aidan Hutchinson, Derrick Barnes and Carlton Davis back as well.

Lions Week 16 Wednesday injury report

Brian Branch — NP (Calf)
DJ Reader — NP (Rest)
Za'Darius Smith — NP (Rest)
Amon-Ra St. Brown — NP (Rest)
David Montgomery — NP (Knee)
Kevin Zeitler — NP (Rest)
Frank Ragnow — NP (Rest)
Taylor Decker — NP (Rest)
Graham Glasgow — NP (Rest)
Ifeatu Melifonwu — FP (Hand)
Trevor Nowaske — FP (Concussion)