The Detroit Lions are starting the season without Isiah Pacheco.
Detroit placed the veteran running back on injured reserve Tuesday afternoon, which means he’ll be out for at least the first four games of the year. Pacheco’s camp had already been disrupted by two separate injuries, and the back issue that surfaced later in August appears to have been the bigger concern for the team.
Head coach Dan Campbell had sounded optimistic early on when Pacheco was dealing with an MCL strain, saying he expected him to be "ready to go" for the opener. That changed once the back injury entered the picture.
Campbell was more cautious on Aug. 27, saying, "I can’t give you anything definitive. He is feeling better as of yesterday.
It’s been a little touch and go right now. He’s had a little bit of a back (injury) and we’re hoping he’s coming out of this as of yesterday a little bit."
The timing matters because Detroit’s first month is already lined up with a tough slate: the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 13, at the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 17, versus the New York Jets on Sept. 27 and at the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 4.
Pacheco signed with the Lions this offseason on a one-year, $1.81 million deal, giving Detroit a veteran partner for Jahmyr Gibbs after the team moved on from David Montgomery. The hope was that Pacheco could bring experience and production to the backfield.
Instead, the Lions will have to wait. Injuries have become a familiar part of Pacheco’s recent run, with the 27-year-old limited to seven games in 2024 because of a fractured fibula. He also missed a month last season with a knee issue.
In his career, Pacheco has rushed for 2,537 yards and 14 touchdowns. Last season with the Kansas City Chiefs, he ran for 462 yards and one touchdown on 118 carries.
In Other News...
Saints Cornerback Shakeup Just Took Another Veteran Off The Board
Isaac Yiadoms second run with the Saints ended in the final roster cuts, and the veteran cornerback has already landed a new opportunity with the Washington Commanders practice squad. Yiadom had been back in New Orleans after previously spending time with the club, and he managed to appear in 14 games last season before the Saints moved in a younger direction at the position.
For a defense that has spent the offseason reshaping its cornerback room, Yiadoms departure fits the broader trend of leaning into youth and competition. The Saints are clearly moving forward with a different mix on the back end, and his quick next stop only underscores how many teams still view experienced defensive backs as useful depth even if they are no longer part of the immediate plan in New Orleans. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Have A Quiet Post-Cut Battle Fans Should Watch
With the initial 53-man roster in place, the Saints are now moving into the next quiet but important phase of roster building: sorting out who might circle back on the practice squad. The club is also keeping an eye on a possible extra spot through the International Player Pathway program, which adds another layer to a process that often ends up shaping depth as much as the roster cuts themselves.
A handful of players stand out as possible priorities if they make it through waivers, including Zamir White, Charlie Smyth and Hunter Dekkers. The group is a mix of useful depth pieces and developmental bets, the kind of names that can disappear in the cutdown rush but still matter once injuries, special teams needs and long-season attrition start to hit. For the Saints, the next move is less about headlines than about making sure the right pieces are still available when the practice squad comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Just Added Two New Line Options Before Week 1
The Saints added a little late-August insurance after the NFL roster cuts deadline, claiming offensive tackle Mason Murphy from the Bears and defensive lineman Colby Wooden from the Colts. It gives New Orleans another chance to reshape both the offensive line and the interior front as the team turns its attention toward Week 1, and it also brings in two players who already have some NFL experience and a shared college background at Auburn.
Murphy and Wooden are expected to factor into a roster picture that is still being sorted out, because the Saints now have to clear two spots to make the claims official. Whether that comes through additional cuts or by moving players to injured reserve, the move signals that New Orleans is still looking for answers in the trenches before the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]