Jahvid Best Likely To Start On PUP List

Having continued to struggle with concussion symptoms this offseason, Detroit Lions running back Jahvid Best is now thought to be headed for the in-season PUP list which would keep him out for the first six weeks of the regular season.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the reports have not been good from the doctors monitoring Best’s status and a source close to the situation confirms that Best will need more time than some officials on the Lions originally thought. This cautiousness is highly commendable and is in part due to the high amount of scrutiny from commissioner Roger Goodell who commented on Best recently warning that the league would be keeping tabs. In the past a player like Jahvid Best may have continued to play but the new emphasis on player safety and concussions in particular is forcing teams to be extra careful with their players – a positive effect of current NFL policy.

Detroit isn’t exactly flush with running back options to start the season. 2011 second round pick Mikel Leshoure who missed his rookie season with an achilles injury will be suspended for the first two weeks due to a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy and he has also had injury issues during training camp which may persist into the season. For now the team’s starter is Kevin Smith but there’s a significant chance he gets injured also given his history so there is a real possibility the Lions could be down to Keiland Williams, Stefan Logan – the team’s specialist return man – and Stephfon Green by week 2.

Looks like the league’s most prolific passing offense will continue to be pass-heavy with all the issues in the running game.