American Football
Isiah Pacheco placed on IR: What this means for the Lions
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The Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco has been placed on the injury reserve list with a back injury that will keep him out for at least four games.
With 10 days to go until the start of the regular season, the Lions will have a big absence on their roster.
Pacheco was set to make his debut with Detroit after spending the last four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Lions' alternatives for running backs
Jahmyr Gibbs was always set to be the starter, with Pacheco following behind as the RB2.
With Pacheco's absence, Sione Vaki will step up to take on his role, and it still leaves Jacob Saylors and Jabari Small in the Lions' RB room.
This kind of depth means that Detroit should not be too worried about finding a temporary replacement for the number of games Pacheco is expected to miss.
However, if they were looking for a backup plan, Kareem Hunt visited the Lions' facilities a week ago.
The veteran from Kansas City, who played alongside Pacheco for two seasons, might be a good option if the Lions were looking for someone, but Dan Campbell is not too worried.
What Pacheco brings to Detroit
The two-time Super Bowl champion has the kind of experience that could bring a lot of value to the Lions.
Through four seasons in Kansas, Pacheco has 2,537 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
Pacheco came in as a replacement for David Montgomery, who was exchanged for a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Houston Texans back in March.
It will be interesting to see what the duo of Gibbs and Pacheco can bring to Detroit further into the season.
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