Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

Riley Reiff (knee) did not practice today, but the Detroit Lions are still holding out hope that their starting left tackle can play Thursday against the Chicago Bears (12:30 p.m., CBS).

"He's a tough guy," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said today. "He's tough, he's durable, he's typically been able to battle through a lot. When you play that position, literally, there's contact on every play. And those guys get accustomed to being uncomfortable, and so until the point where it gets to be something that obviously is out of his control, I think he usually finds a way to battle through."

Reiff hyperextended his left knee on the first snap of the Lions' 34-9 loss to the New England Patriots last weekend and is not expected to miss more than one game with his injury.

The Lions officially promoted Rodney Austin from the practice squad today, to fill in as a backup lineman this weekend. They cut tight end Kellen Davis (Michigan State) and signed linebacker Jerrell Harris to the practice squad.

If Reiff can't play Thursday, undrafted rookie Cornelius Lucas will start at left tackle.

The Lions already are shorthanded on the offensive line, with guard Larry Warford out at least one more week with a sprained knee. Rookie third-round pick Travis Swanson has started the last two games in Warford's place.

The Bears are tied for 12th in the league with 27 sacks, and Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been sacked 33 times this year, more than every quarterback but Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers.

Defensive tackle Nick Fairley also missed Lions practice today and will not play this weekend because of a sprained knee.

Linebacker Ashlee Palmer practiced for the first time since suffering a concussion against the Patriots.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.