Lions RB Isiah Pacheco out 'a while' after back surgery

The Lions' backfield depth took a hit on Monday: veteran running back Isiah Pacheco recently underwent back surgery and will be out for a significant amount of time, with no clear timeline for his return.

Dan Campbell confirmed the procedure at his Monday media availability, telling reporters Pacheco will miss a significant stretch and that "it's going to be a while" before he's back. The news comes a day after Detroit survived an overtime thriller against New Orleans in which the Lions leaned heavily on their ground game.

The timing puts even more weight on Jahmyr Gibbs, who opened the season with a monster workload — 34 touches, including 29 carries, and a career showing in the ground game. Gibbs joked afterward that he could have taken 40 carries, but the Lions know that pace is not sustainable over a full season, and Pacheco was the veteran insurance behind him.

Detroit already has a short week ahead: the Lions visit Baltimore on Thursday night, and Campbell's backfield rotation behind Gibbs now becomes a bigger question with Pacheco sidelined. How the Lions distribute those remaining carries — and whether they add a body — will be worth watching as the week unfolds.