Lions activate Marcus Davenport and Miles Frazier, sign two off practice squad, waive veteran RB

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Allen Park — The Detroit Lions are getting some reinforcements for Thursday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Wednesday afternoon, the team activated defensive end Marcus Davenport and rookie offensive lineman Miles Frazier.

Davenport, the team’s Week 1 starter opposite Aidan Hutchinson, has been on injured reserve since late September. He’ll join a defensive front that has patched his absence with multiple options on the edge, from Tyler Lacy to Al-Quadian Muhammad, before more recently deploying defensive tackle Alim McNeill at that spot.

Davenport was officially listed as questionable for Thursday’s game, but given that the team had another week before they were required to activate him, it strongly suggests he’ll have a role against the Packers.

“It would be big to be able to get him back,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said earlier this week. “He’s done a lot to get back, the amount of work that he’s put in and the amount of rehab. And look, it’s not his fault things have happened. All you can do is go back to work and do everything you can to return and get your body healed up and come back better than you were. And he’s done everything that that requires.”

Frazier, meanwhile, has been on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury he suffered in May. The rookie has been practicing at both guard and tackle and figures to provide depth at both spots.

The team is banged up across the offensive line, ruling out starting center Graham Glasgow on Wednesday. Additionally, offensive tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell, as well as guard Tate Ratledge, are all questionable for the contest.

To address some other injury-related depth issues, the Lions signed wide receiver Tom Kennedy and tight end Anthony Firkser off the practice squad. Those moves were necessary after wide receiver Kalif Raymond and Brock Wright were ruled out for the contest.

Additionally, the team elevated center Kingsley Eguakun and rookie tight end Zach Horton off the practice squad.

To free up some extra room on the roster, particularly following the news that All-Pro center Frank Ragnow is coming out of retirement, the Lions waived running back Craig Reynolds.

Reynolds, in his fifth season with the Lions, has recently seen his role diminish to the point where he’d been a healthy scratch for multiple games. The backup running back and special teams contributor had been jumped on the depth chart by Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors.