Abdullah likely to return by start of camp
West Bloomfield — Lions general manager Bob Quinn is “not at all” concerned about top running back Ameer Abdullah’s recovery from shoulder surgery early this offseason.
“He’ll be ready for training camp,” Quinn said Monday before the golf outing for the Charlie Sanders Foundation.
But, another top offensive player’s outlook isn’t quite as bright as Abdullah’s.
Tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in December, likely won’t be ready when the team reconvenes this summer.
“Probably not at the beginning of training camp,” Quinn said of Pettigrew’s availability. “That’s going to be something we’ll evaluate as we get into the early part of camp.”
Abdullah returning for training camp is crucial for the Lions as he’ll likely be the top ball carrier, which he was as a rookie last year. If anything happens to Abdullah, the Lions would likely be leaning on Stevan Ridley or Zach Zenner for the bulk of the carries unless Theo Riddick starts playing better as a runner.
Until Pettigrew returns, though, the tight end group will look shallow. Eric Ebron is the top option, and Matthew Mulligan has some experience as a block-first guy. Beyond those two and Pettigrew, the Lions have three undrafted rookies competing — Cole Wick, Adam Fuehne and Ben McCord — but the team could still add another veteran during camp.
jkatzenstein@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @jkatzenstein