The Detroit Lions are betting on a healthy offensive line to lead the team to success in 2022. However, the Week 1 status of star center Frank Ragnow is up in the air.

On Wednesday, Detroit added Ragnow to their injury report. The offensive lineman said he “heard his groin pop” in practice, leading to the designation.

On Friday, he told reporters he felt “pretty cautiously optimistic” he'd play in Detroit's opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Lions Pro Bowl center said it wasn't as bad as initially feared.

“Wednesday I was pretty down, I’m not going to lie after last year’s deal,” Ragnow told reporters Friday. “I was pretty upset, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected initially so that’s good, and we’re just going to take her day by day and see.”

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The Lions will obviously be cautious with their star interior lineman. Ragnow missed 13 games last season with a foot injury and two games due to injury in 2020.

“I think it’s less on me because I’m going to try to go, but it’s more on the coaches and the medical staff,” Ragnow said. “I’m treating it as much as I can, doing whatever they tell me and making sure that I’m giving my best show so they give me the approval.”

The Lions are heading into their season opener already down one starting offensive lineman. The team placed guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai on injured reserve on Tuesday. Vaitai will miss at least four games to begin the season.

“I think we’ll know a lot post-practice,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said Friday morning. “I think it’ll tell us a ton, but I know he wants to give it a go and he had a smile on his face this morning, so I’d take that as at least a step in the right direction.”