The Detroit Lions have more injury concerns on their offensive line than right guard.
Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow was a limited participant in practice Wednesday because of a groin injury.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said before practice that moving Ragnow to right guard was one of the options the team was considering to replace injured starter Halapoulivaati Vaitai.
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Vaitai suffered a back injury in the Lions’ preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers and will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. The Lions open Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, who have one of the NFL’s best interior defensive lines led by Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox.
Ragnow was not available during the Lions’ open locker room period Wednesday. If he cannot play Sunday, or if the Lions decide to move him to guard, Evan Brown — who started 13 games while Ragnow was out with a back injury last season — would start at center.
Along with having Ragnow switch positions, the Lions are considering moving right tackle Penei Sewell to right guard and starting Matt Nelson at tackle, or using Logan Stenberg at guard. If Stenberg starts, Campbell said he likely would play left guard with Jonah Jackson moving to the right side.
Tommy Kraemer, who played second-team right guard this preseason, missed practice Wednesday with a back injury.
John Cominsky (illness) and Levi Onwuzurike (back) also did not practice, and Austin Seibert (groin), Ifeatu Melifonwu (hamstring), Julian Okwara (hamstring) and Chris Board (knee) were limited.