Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone has been sidelined since breaking his forearm in Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. While a return for the playoffs has always been a possibility, the 6-8 week recovery timeline left the door open for a late-season comeback.
On Wednesday morning, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network discussed the changes in the Lions and Minnesota Vikings’ rosters since their Week 7 matchup. Key Lions players like Alim McNeill, David Montgomery, and Malcolm Rodriguez, who participated in the first meeting, will be unavailable for Sunday’s game. Rapoport also commented on Anzalone’s status:
“Alex Anzalone, the play-making linebacker with a broken forearm, he played in that (Week 7) game, not gonna play in this one.”
However, subsequent reports on Wednesday from both local (Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network) and national sources (ESPN’s Adam Schefter) contradicted Rapoport’s statement. Schefter reported that Anzalone was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice. While the Lions only held a walkthrough, and participation levels were estimated, Anzalone’s 21-day activation window has officially been opened.
