Last year, a rash of injuries forced the Lions to bring back Kevin Smith. This year, a rash of injuries could force the Lions to make Smith their main man in the backfield.
Jahvid Best still isn’t cleared for contact, nearly 10 months after suffering his latest concussion. Mikel Leshoure, who missed all of last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, now has a hamstring problem. Rookie Stephon Greene suffered a knee injury on Monday.
So Smith is back at the top of the heap. But he doesn’t seem to be impressed by his status.
“Starting is not a big deal to me,” Smith said, via Anwar Richardson of MLive.com. “I’ve been a starter in this league since my rookie year. Unfortunately, I got hurt. When you get hurt, it’s on the next one. It’s not a big change to my game whether I’m a starter or not.”
For now, Smith is the “next one” again.
“Kevin’s been here as long as I’ve been here,” offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. “He’s been here before I got here. Kevin gives us 110 percent -- the old adage -- every day. He’s a blue-collar, go to work every day [kind of guy].”
Smith will need to show up every day until Leshoure and Best return. Until then, it’s Smith and Stefan Logan, Keiland Williams, and Joique Bell in the backfield.