Photo via CBS Sports

Lions' Isiah Pacheco undergoes back surgery, expected to miss significant time

Detroit Lions tailback Isiah Pacheco will be sidelined for a prolonged period after undergoing an operation to address nerve compression in his back. Head coach Dan Campbell revealed the procedure on Monday, with expectations pointing toward a 12-week rehabilitation process and a potential comeback in December.

The 27-year-old rusher, who joined Detroit on a single-season pact following David Montgomery's trade to Houston, opened the campaign on injured reserve after moving past an earlier training camp MCL strain. Over his prior four years with Kansas City, the dual Super Bowl winner amassed 2,537 yards and 14 scores across 576 handoffs, which featured 1,765 yards racked up during his initial two pro campaigns.

In Pacheco's absence, Detroit plans to heavily feature Jahmyr Gibbs alongside depth pieces Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors. Gibbs starred in the opening-week overtime triumph against the Saints, tallying 156 yards and two scores on 29 rushes.

The supporting backfield carries minimal prior usage; Vaki contributed seven yards on two handoffs in Week 1, entering the season with only 18 yards across seven career attempts in 27 contests, while Saylors recorded 11 yards on two totes as a rookie last year.