Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco’s status for Week 1 is in jeopardy, and it is not for the reason that most fans think. Pacheco has missed a few weeks during training camp due to a knee injury. However, head coach Dan Campbell made it clear that Pacheco’s Week 1 status is not in jeopardy due to a knee injury, but rather a new back injury that popped.
“He has a little bit of a back,” said Campbell when discussing Pacheco’s injury. When asked to clarify if that meant a new injury in addition to his knee, Campbell confirmed the new injury.
“In addition to the knee,” Campbell. “The knee is not a concern.”
The Lions coach was asked if he could provide a timeline on his return due to the injury, and he said he could not get into specifics.
“He’s another one I can’t give you anything definitive,” said Campbell. “He’s feeling better as of yesterday…..We’re hoping he’s coming out of this as of yesterday. ”
They seem to be optimistic, but at the same time it appears things changed as of a day before Campbell spoke to the media.
Detroit Lions Need Isiah Pacheco Healthy
GettyFormer Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco’s career.
The Lions signed Pacheco to fill a big role in replacing David Montgomery. Detroit traded Montgomery because he was losing work. He went from 235 touches to 221, down to 182 last year. They also plan for Jahmyr Gibbs to take on even more work, so that number was going to come down this year.
Gibbs was already seventh in touches last season across the entire NFL, and only three running backs had more than 20 touches. So adding too much more to his plate will be hard to do.
The Lions are going to need a running back that is capable of taking on a good portion of work. If it is not Pachecho, it is going to be an inexperienced running back.
Lions Depth Will Be Pushed at Running Back
Sione Vaki is currently the Lions’ third running back. However, he is entering his third NFL season with seven NFL carries. He is a converted safety from college and is mostly on the team because of his special teams value. Vaki is also developing a track record of injuries as well. Asking him to take on more than 100 carries is a stretch.
The next option would be Jacob Saylors. Saylors has just two carries for 11 yards in his NFL career. The UDFA from East Tennessee State is entering his second season in the NFL and is mostly competing to make a roster spot at this point in his career.
Jabari Small, Trayveon Williams, Roydell Williams, and Raheem Blackshear finalize the depth. Both Williamses were signed in the past couple of weeks due to the injuries.
If Pachco is not ready for Week 1, there might be a debate about the team bringing in a more experienced option in free agency. Either that, or they will have to trust someone with limited experience to take on a bigger workload.
Lions Get Concerning New Injury Update on Isiah Pacheco