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Lions 2-time Super Bowl Champion faces unclear status for Week 1 vs. Saints amid latest injury originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Detroit Lions are doing everything they can to get over the hump and win a Super Bowl after being one of the best teams in football over the last couple of seasons. However, things simply have not gone their way.

They started the free-agency period by subtracting rather than adding, trading David Montgomery to the Houston Texans.

“The Texans are acquiring running back David Montgomery in a trade with the Detroit Lions for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and two draft picks, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday. The Lions will receive a 2026 fourth-round draft pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick, the sources said,” DJ Bien-Aime wrote.

The move was not shocking, as Jahmyr Gibbs is the clear RB1 in Detroit. For the Lions, it was simply a matter of finding someone who could step in as his backup. The team went on to land two-time Super Bowl champion Isiah Pacheco on what looked like a steal of a deal.

“Detroit has found David Montgomery’s replacement. The Lions are signing running back Isiah Pacheco to a one-year, $1.81 million deal, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday, per a source informed of the deal. Terms of the contract have not yet been reported. Detroit was in the market for a veteran backup to Jahmyr Gibbs after agreeing to trade Montgomery to the Houston Texans,” NFL.com’s Kevin Patra wrote.

Simply put, this is a prove-it type of contract for Pacheco. However, things are not looking up for the former Chiefs running back, as he is now dealing with another injury.

“Lions running back Isiah Pacheco has picked up another injury. Pacheco sprained his MCL earlier this month and head coach Dan Campbell said at the time that the team thought Pacheco would be able to return for Week 1. On Thursday, Campbell said that Pacheco is now dealing with a back injury and that his status for the opener is unclear,” Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper wrote.

While this is unfortunate news for Pacheco, it could have been much worse. The hope for Detroit is that this is not a lingering issue that forces him to miss more time beyond Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints.

Detroit has shown its willingness to rely on a two-back system, so it will be a next-man-up mentality if Pacheco is unable to play. With Pacheco on a prove-it type of deal, he will likely have every opportunity to contribute if he is healthy enough to go.

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