Lions Notes: Timetable For Jeff Backus' Recovery Uncertain

by Sean Yuille on Jul 29, 2011 3:55 AM EDT in Detroit Lions Notes

Jeff Backus' pectoral injury is not of the day-to-day variety, according to Jim Schwartz. Backus will not be ready to go when practice begins Friday morning, and Schwartz says the injury is going to take a "little bit of time" for Backus to get over. Even so, the Lions seem to believe he will be ready for the regular season.
Via ESPN Stats & Info comes this interesting tidbit: Drew Stanton is the only quarterback selected in the 2007 NFL Draft that is still with his original team.
Jim Schwartz made a very good point about NFL free agency: The finish line is not 6 p.m. today when free agents can officially sign. The Lions will work to improve their roster beyond Friday evening with both signings and potentially trades as well.
Even though free agents will be allowed to sign starting later today, they won't be able to actually practice until the NFLPA recertifies and the new league year begins. This means that players already in the league that didn't have contracts when the lockout ended could potentially not get to practice until Aug. 4, the latest the NFLPA can recertify.
WXYZ is going to broadcast a Lions training camp special on Friday night at 7 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., WXYZ is going to broadcast a Lions highlight show produced by NFL Films. Apparently it will take you "inside the highlights" from last season. Sounds pretty interesting.

(More after the jump)

Nick Barnett tweeted on Thursday night that he is excited to turn the page. It's unclear if he has actually been released, though.
Zack Follett passed his physical, which is good to hear.
New Lion Rashied Davis says Barry Sanders is his favorite player of all time.
The Lions' official site has audio and video from Jim Schwartz's Thursday press conference.
Yesterday was the 12-year anniversary of Barry Sanders' retirement from the Lions and professional football.
On Monday, the day the NFL lockout ended, the Lions' ticket office sold five times as many season tickets as a usual Monday.
It appears former Lion Roy Williams could be headed to Chicago to play for the Bears.

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5 times as many tickets than normal

Looks as though the lockout worked out for the NFL.

by Hyperion Ecta on Jul 29, 2011 4:10 AM EDT reply actions

Not really

How many Monday’s did they lose? If it was over five…

by metatron5369 on Jul 29, 2011 5:05 AM EDT up reply actions

I wanna see that show.

If anybody can record and upload or is gonna have a link I would be very grateful.

Football isn't a contact sport; it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.--Vince Lombardi

by Quez81 on Jul 29, 2011 4:36 AM EDT reply actions

Oooooh oooh me too!

If someone could throw that on the interweb, it would be much appreciated. It won’t be broadcast here :(

If you are in an elevator and there is a button marked "Laser Bay Two"... You push that button.

by Forty Handz on Jul 29, 2011 7:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Please Please

Lions fan down in LA (lower Alabama)

by FusterMT on Jul 29, 2011 8:15 AM EDT up reply actions

haha i want bears to get roy williams

but for backus gl bro this is prob your last season sink or swim hope stafford survives it

by Daniel Simonelli on Jul 29, 2011 4:54 AM EDT reply actions

Backus injury could be a good thing

With Backus out for training camp, the Lions can really take a good look at Fox, Hilliard. Ugoh and Culbreath. It can determine if these guys have anything special or if Mayhew needs to start looking at other OTs. Backus does not need camp so when he comes back, he should be OK.

by LionfaninPA on Jul 29, 2011 5:52 AM EDT reply actions

Glad that the Bears

got Roy Williams. I hope that the reunion of Martz, Marinelli, and Williams will be another recipe for success and a repeat of the last time they were all together. (I’m pretty sure that it was 2008 in Detroit and the OwenVI season. You know, I’m really beginning to think that Matt Millen has taken as position with the Bears as a consultant. I like it!)

by Detroitfantc on Jul 29, 2011 10:33 AM EDT reply actions

Wooo wooo wooo!!!

I hear the sirens…it won’t be long now until the MM police get here for that name drop!

If one of these guys can't take us to the promised land, maybe we should shop for one. You can have the greatest running back of all time, but if you don't have a consistent quarterback, you don't win.
-Wayne Fontes

by KDawg on Jul 29, 2011 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Jeff Backus

When I first heard about the injury to Backus’s moob, I immediately got worried. Look guys, we all (even the true Backus lovers) have to admit that last year was likely the best we will ever see out of Backus. Before last year, his play was ultimately suspect and many people were calling for his head for years. He is not getting younger, and this injury could very well spell the beginning of the end of his football career. I do believe, however, that he will come back for the regular season. My only hope is that it is not at the cost of Matthew Stafford’s safety.

by KDawg on Jul 29, 2011 12:07 PM EDT reply actions

I wouldn't count Backus out yet.

We have plenty of time. Stafford’s problems don’t begin and end with the O-line. He has to learn to be more aware.

by drgarnett on Jul 29, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah...tell that to Julius Peppers...

Backus protects Stafford’s BLIND side…and while I would love it if he had eyes in the back of his head, it is kind of difficult to be aware of what you can not see. And when it is coming at you untouched at 100 mph, you better just take the snap and run for your effing life.

by KDawg on Jul 29, 2011 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I see a positive out of this

This gives Fox some reps whcih I’m hoping is being groomed into Backus’s replacement. The guy needs reps with Backus hurt this gives Fox and others to show us what they got.

by Usmarine0341 on Jul 29, 2011 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions