Jimmy Graham, Calvin Johnson Injury Updates
New Orleans Saints star tight end Jimmy Graham was initially viewed as a game-time decision for today’s big game against the Detroit Lions, but his status seemed more and more likely as the day past. The Saints have now confirmed that Graham will indeed be active, and he reportedly wasn’t even a real game-time decision anyway, as he had no intention of sitting today’s game out with a shoulder injury that he suffered before the bye week. Although Graham is active, it’s unclear how many snaps he will get, but he is expected to have a limited role as a red zone target until further notice. Despite the limited role, the elite TE is expected to make a sizeable impact on the game.
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Lions WR Calvin Johnson has always been viewed as having a smaller shot at playing in today’s Lions-Saints game, as head coach Jim Caldwell stated earlier this week that it would take a “miracle” for his star player to play. Johnson did not practice at all this week after missing last week’s game with an aggravated ankle injury, but the Lions have still left the door open for his return by listing him questionable and making him a game-time decision.
That said, he still isn’t expected to suit up, as ESPN Sal Paolantonio reports, via Rotoworld’s Evan Silva, that Johnson’s chances of playing are “still slim”, while the Detroit Free Press’s plugged-in Dave Birkett reports that he is “pretty sure” that Megatron won’t play after not seeing him participating in WR drills. Beat writers have followed Johnson’s hours of pre-game warm-ups and stretching, but there’s no indication that he will suit up.