ASHBURN, Va. — The Detroit Lions will be without their starting right guard, Kevin Zeitler, as they prepare to face the Washington Commanders in the divisional round on Saturday night.
Zeitler was officially ruled out on Thursday due to a hamstring injury sustained during the regular-season finale on January 5 against Minnesota. In addition to him, defensive lineman Pat O’Connor (calf) will also be absent, while cornerback Ennis Rakestraw’s status remains uncertain because of both a hamstring issue and illness.
To fill Zeitler’s position, either rookie Christian Mahogany or Kayode Awosika is likely to step in. Mahogany, selected in the sixth round of the draft, has appeared in seven games this season, starting in one.
“We feel confident in our options,” stated Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell during a press briefing in Allen Park, Michigan.
On the other hand, the Commanders seem to be functioning with nearly their full roster, as six-time All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner is expected to play after sitting out practices on Tuesday and Wednesday due to an ankle issue.
“I’m fine,” Wagner remarked after being a limited participant in Thursday’s practice session.
When pressed for details regarding the injury, especially if it was a result of the wild-card round victory over Tampa Bay, Wagner remained tight-lipped, stating, “Just life. It’s life. I’m not going to discuss the injury because the Detroit Lions are observing, so I’ll see you guys on Saturday.”
Additionally, rookie linebacker Jordan Magee has been ruled out due to a hamstring problem, which coach Dan Quinn had hinted at during Monday’s comments. Other special team members, linebacker Mykal Walker (illness) and rookie tight end Colson Yankoff (hamstring), are still under evaluation with questionable statuses.
Quinn also confirmed that kicker Zane Gonzalez, who secured a victory with a last-second field goal against the Buccaneers, is fit to play after monitoring a hip injury earlier in the week.