Saturday afternoon marks the final exhibition contest for the Detroit Lions, as they take on the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium before they begin preparations for their regular season opener on Sept. 13 against the visiting New Orleans Saints.
The Lions entered the game already considerably shorthanded, as multiple players are battling various injuries, including running back Isiah Pacheco.
One player that they were looking to in order to potentially shoulder some of that load is running back Jabari Small, who didn’t play last season but has given Detroit’s coaching staff plenty to consider about his chances of earning a roster spot.
However, in Saturday’s contest against the Colts, Small suffered yet another ailment that throws his availability into question.
Detroit Lions Running Back Jabari Small Was Banged Up Once Again
During the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium, Small was blasted with a heavy hit on a kick return, and was slow to get up; he appeared a bit wobbly as he made his way off the field and toward the blue medical tent.
Shortly afterward, he would make his way to the locker room with a team trainer. For Small, who was placed into concussion protocol last week against the Washington Commanders, this is a worrying setback.
Lions beat writer Justin Rogers raised the possibility that this may have been another concussion setback.
“Small was in concussion protocol last week and the way he got up after that hit raises concern about a recurrence a week later,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Recently, Lions writer Colton Pouncey reported that Small was right on the edge to claim a roster spot.
“Now, the Lions may prefer to add a veteran running back (they worked out Kareem Hunt this week) rather than keep a back like Small. He’s admittedly a roster long shot,” Pouncy wrote. “However, Small knows the offense, he’s already with the team and has a chance to stick around on the practice squad. An elevation makes sense if Pacheco misses time early in the season, but only if he proves his value.”
If Small is unavailable, this throws another wrinkle into Detroit’s running back situation considering Pacheco’s absence.
Can Jabari Small Earn A Lions Roster Spot If Healthy?
Small, who attended Tennessee, Small saw limited action as a freshman in 2020 before establishing himself over the next three seasons.
He rushed for 792 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021, followed by a 734-yard, 13-touchdown campaign in 2022 despite missing time with an arm injury. His production slipped to 475 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 2023, after which he skipped Tennessee’s bowl game against Iowa and declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.
He was not drafted, and signed as a free agent with the Tennessee Titans in 2024, spending time on their practice squad after being waived. He returned on a reserve/future deal in January 2025 but was released in May.
Small then joined the Lions that July, was waived during the preseason, and later returned to Detroit’s practice squad in December. He signed another reserve/future contract with the Lions in January 2026.
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