Detroit Lions running back D’Andre Swift (shoulder/ankle) and wide receiver DJ Chark (ankle) were injured in Week 3 and have not played in a game since. On Wednesday, coach Dan Campbell updated the media on their progress.
“I would just say, they’re both a little bit better,” Campbell said. “And that’s about as good as I can give you right now. I see Swift practicing today, I don’t see Chark practicing today.”
Swift’s timeline has always suggested that a return in Week 7 seemed possible and he appears on track for that. He still needs to get through a week of practices, but returning Swift to the lineup would be a massive boost for the offense. Expect Jamaal Williams to still be a big part of the game plan this week and maybe moving forward as well.
Meanwhile, Chark’s injury has been anything but consistent. After trending towards playing in Week 4, he was downgraded on Saturday to out. In Week 5, things once again looked positive only to see a Friday downgrade and he was once again unable to play. Now following the bye, his inability to practice is concerning.
Chark’s injury is to his surgically repaired ankle that caused him to miss 14 games in 2021 (when with the Jaguars) and that could be the root of the problem.
“We’re looking into everything,” Campbell continued. “Certainly we don’t want anything to rear its head again, but I think it’s like anything else. It’s something that’s bothering him and we just gotta get him to where he feels right. And get it back to where it needs to be.”
When asked to clarify if it was a structural problem or a pain management issue, Campbell seemed to indicate they were concerned with the stability of the ankle, which is not a very good sign.
“We’re still getting some things looked at,” Campbell explained. “And so I think there’s probably a little bit more than (pain management). But, there again, we’re working through it.”
If there is indeed structural damage, adding Chark to injured reserve is a potential option, as it would give him, at a minimum, another four weeks of rest and rehabilitation time to recover.
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