Detroit Lions RB D'Andre Swift ruled out against Dallas Cowboys
DALLAS — D'Andre Swift was pushing to return from shoulder and ankle injuries Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. The Detroit Lions are pushing back.
The Lions announced Swift would be inactive Sunday and miss his third consecutive game with injuries he suffered in September losses.
Swift sprained his ankle in the first half of the Lions' season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He played through the injury the next week, but sprained his shoulder in a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and has not played since.
Swift said Wednesday he was day-to-day but "pushing towards" a return this week, though neither Lions coach Dan Campbell nor running backs coach Duce Staley would commit to Swift being in the lineup.
"He’s another one we’ll see," Campbell said Friday. "He’s done a little bit more every day, and see how he is and where he’s at (after Friday's practice) and then we’ll take it from there.”
Swift leads the NFL at 8.6 yards per carry but has just 27 rushing attempts on the season.
He is a dynamic part of the Lions offense when healthy but has struggled with injuries throughout his three-season career.
Swift missed two games with a brain injury as a rookie, sat out of most of training camp last summer with a groin injury and missed four weeks with a sprained shoulder last fall. Sunday marks the fourth week since Swift injured his other shoulder against the Vikings.
"We took the precautions (by limiting his workload in training camp)," Staley said. "But you know this as well as I do, soon as you hit those lines anything can happen and unfortunately of course, the shoulder, the ankle has really been nagging him, been bothering him. And you can see it in his eyes. This is a passionate kid, man. He wants to be out there on the field. He’s asking questions, got to do it right. He’s working hard, trying to get back."
If Swift does not play Sunday, Jamaal Williams will play the lead back role for the third game in a row. Williams leads the Lions with 77 carries, 332 yards rushing and six touchdowns.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: D'Andre Swift ruled out for Detroit Lions against Dallas Cowboys
