Detroit Lions Sign OG, WR to Practice Squad, Place Isiah Pacheco on IR

The Detroit Lions announced a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday afternoon.

Unfortunately, running back Isiah Pacheco has been placed on the injured reserve list. He was dealing with a MCL injury, but head coach Dan Campbell expressed that he is also dealing with a back injury, which was more of the present concern.

As a result, the veteran will now miss the first four games of the 2026 regular season.

The team made the signing of tight end Tyler Conkin official, while also adding two players to the practice squad.

Wide receiver Dominic Lovett, who was a 2025 seventh-round pick, is back on the practice squad, joining Tom Kennedy and Lucky Jackson.

Offensive guard Elijah Klein was also signed to the practice squad. The 26-year-old, who played collegiately at UTEP started his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Bucanneers. He was selected in the sixth-round back in 2024.

Mental component

Last week, the former NFL tight end was asked if a players mental component is a factor in the final roster decision-making process.

“Yeah. Time on task. Time on task. It is. And it's the youth, it's just experience, it's having to live in those moments," said Campbell. "And the more they do, the better they're going to be. And then if you are, whether you keep them or they come back on the practice squad or vet squad, man they're only banking valuable reps against our guys, because yeah you're giving looks, but we compete here. We don't just get out there and it's the token play outside leverage, keep the card and get beat. No man, Wednesdays and Thursdays, you're trying to win."

Detroit has the expectation that players on the practice squad will compete hard to earn either an elevation on game day or a spot on the 53-man roster during the season.

"You should be winning against (Amon-Ra) St. Brown or (Jameson Williams) Jamo or whatever or vice versa against Rock (Ya-Sin) or (D.J.) Reed or we can go down the line," said Campbell. "You're not just out here, you're not just a token body. We need to see you compete and win because those are important for us.

"Guys have made the roster, guys that we've brought up from practice squad or that were on the roster, they're 52, 53, and now all of a sudden they get elevated to go to the game because they've proven it. So, that's important to us.”

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