With so many injured players, the Lions will have to make a few game-time decisions about who will get to play and who will have to sit the preseason opener against the Steelers. Louis Delmas, however, has already had his fate determined, and he won't be playing on Saturday.

"He's right on track for what we want," Schwartz said. "We give him a little more and then ease him back, give him more and ease him back. It's not like he's going to go and all of a sudden be back full speed and in full pads.

"We aren't going to let him feeling good convince us that he's ready."

Delmas missed this morning's practice, so it's no surprise he will be out for the first exhibition game. Even before he returned to practice the coaches stressed that they didn't want to rush him back, and just because he has been on the practice field doesn't mean that mindset should change, which is really for the best.

I would love to see Delmas out there, but at the very least this will give some of the other safeties more reps in an actual game. That's the positive I'm going to take from this.