Previously on Lions Wire, I listed ten players to watch in Lions minicamp who are recovering from injury. Now, here are Lions’ players who have recovered from significant injury, but carry lingering question marks.
#1 Thomas Harper, S
As you can see in the injury videos, both of Harper’s concussions have the same mechanism – lowering his head and taking a leg to the right side of his helmet. There are multiple concerns moving forward:
Look for Harper to focus on a heads-up tackling technique during practice.
#2 Ennis Rakestraw, CB
This third-year CB gets the dubious distinction of being on both Part 1 (current illness) and Part 2 (shoulder) of the minicamp watchlist.
After two straight seasons marred by injuries, Rakestraw has reportedly added some bulk to his frame to help deal with the physical nature of the NFL.
#3 Levi Onwuzurike, DT
After signing a 1-year free agent deal with $3.5M guaranteed in the 2025 offseason, Onwuzurike underwent ACL surgery about a month later. The curious timing of how that played out made me question the Lions’ interest in retaining him after his contract tolled.
The fact that the Lions are giving him a chance means that the ACL recovery must be going smoothly. However, there can be a lag in full recovery from an ACL, which might make the difference between Levi making the roster or not.
#4 Giovanni Manu, OL
A practice knee injury wiped out the rest of Manu’s 2025 season. There are no details regarding the knee injury, but residuals are always a possibility – especially if cartilage was involved. Entering his third year, this could be make-or-break time for him.
For nine more players on the watchlist, see Lions 2026 Minicamp Watchlist: Residual Concerns..
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions Minicamp Watchlist: Injuries with Residual Concerns
Reporting by Jimmy Liao, MD, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jimmy Liao, MD, Lions Wire | USA TODAY Network
