Monday brought the kind of training camp update teams want when the injury report starts to get crowded: concern, but not alarm. For Isiah Pacheco, the latest word is that an MCL sprain should not threaten his availability for Week 1, and that distinction matters more than any short-term scare.
Dan Campbell said he feels pretty good about Pacheco being ready when the season gets here, adding that the team is not concerned about the issue. That is the key takeaway here. Pacheco, a backup running back for the Detroit Lions, is dealing with an injury, but the timeline points toward readiness for the opener rather than a prolonged absence.
A useful update for the Lions
The injury itself is worth noting, but so is the context around it. Campbell also said Juice Scruggs would be out for a few more days before he returns, and that Cade Mays was expected to miss 8-10 weeks with a fractured wrist. In a camp setting, those absences matter because the Lions may need Scruggs at center while Mays recovers, which makes every available body a little more important.
That is part of why the Pacheco news lands as a positive for Detroit, even if it does not solve every depth question. A soft-tissue issue or a sprain in camp can create immediate anxiety, but Campbell’s tone suggested this is more of a temporary pause than a real setback. If anything, the update helps the Lions keep one eye on the bigger injury picture without adding another long-term concern.
For now, the message is simple: Pacheco’s MCL sprain is not expected to carry into the season opener, and the Lions sound comfortable with where he stands. In camp, that is about as reassuring as an injury update gets.
