Overview
- Rakestraw fell while changing direction during a team period and left practice to be evaluated for a lower-leg ankle injury on Thursday, Aug. 20, after covering tight end Jackson Meeks.
- Local reporter Dan Miller said the ankle is not expected to be serious, but the Lions had not decided whether Rakestraw would play in Saturday’s preseason game.
- This is the second scare of the preseason after a collision in Cincinnati produced a contusion that testing showed was not structural and allowed him to return to practice.
- Rakestraw’s recurring missed time — including a hamstring-plagued 2024 rookie year and a 2025 season-ending shoulder surgery — raises concerns about his ability to win a starting outside or nickel role and earn roster spots through special teams value.
- Coaches and medical staff will prioritize getting him healthy for Week 1, so the key next moves are the team’s game-day decision and whether he can log meaningful snaps in remaining preseason work.