Lions running back D’Andre Swift hasn’t played in the last three weeks since suffering a shoulder injury in the Thanksgiving loss to the Chicago Bears. Based on what Detroit head coach Dan Campbell said in his press conference on Monday, Swift’s status remains very much up in the air.
Swift is not yet back to practicing, and he might not hit that mark this week. But Campbell left it open for a return in the final three weeks from the second-year running back.
“I still think we’re taking this week-to-week, day-to-day,” Campbell told reporters. “There again, I know as of this morning he’s better than he felt last week. He feels better than he was I guess Saturday when we worked with him. So, our plan is to work him back into practice this week and see how he feels.”
The ambiguity of Campbell’s statement, citing both weeks and days as potential timetables, accurately reflects the truly questionable status of Swift’s potential to come back. With just three games left and the Lions long eliminated from the postseason, shutting Swift down makes sense. But letting him get more reps in the modified offense and seeing how Swift fits with the emergence of Craig Reynolds in his place is also a justifiable idea.
For the season, Swift has 140 carries for 555 yards and four TDs, plus 56 receptions for 429 yards and two TDs. His receptions and targets (70) totals each led the Lions at the time of his injury.
