The Detroit Lions have been without second-round rookie defensive lineman Josh Paschal since Week 2 of organized team activities. Because he is the only Lions rookie yet to have signed his NFL contract, that led to (reckless) speculation that negotiations were keeping him out of the lineup.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell cleared the air on Wednesday, noting that Paschal was dealing with an injury they were monitoring.
“We’re trying to be smart with him,” Campbell said. “He’s got a lower extremity injury that we’re just trying to be smart (with). There will be a couple guys that we back of today just to be smart.