D’Andre Swift banged-up in Detroit, misses practices with reported leg injury

The Detroit Lions have high hopes for D’Andre Swift, but like Georgia, they are having to manage his health carefully.

Swift, who was limited by injuries during each of the past two seasons with the Bulldogs (sports hernia, foot, shoulder), missed consecutive practices last week.

“Bo Scarbrough and (D’Andre) Swift will not be out at practice again,” Patricia said prior to Saturday practice according to the PrideOfDetroit.com website.

“Just feel that it’s not ready for the tempo of what we’re doing here today. Working with those guys, nothing really specific to report on the injury itself or any of that, just kind of the rest as far as what we’re doing.”

The Lions hope to have Swift back when the team returns to practice on Tuesday.

MLive reported that Swift “appeared to suffer an upper leg injury late in practice on Thursday but seemed to return in at least limited fashion.”

The Lions will surely keep a close eye on Swift’s health, as they have him tagged for an important role in the offense.

“I would expect them to use Swift like the Saints use (Alvin) Kamara,” ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky told MLive. “Put him on the field on first down and throw him the football. That’s what the Saints do with Kamara. I just see them utilizing him as much as a pass-catching threat as he’s going to be a run-commitment threat in the run game.”

Orlovsky said he would “flip out” that Georgia didn’t use Swift more as a pass catcher last season, perhaps unaware that the former Bulldogs’ greatest value last season was as the primary ball carrier behind an offensive line featuring two first-round NFL draft picks and fourth-rounder Solomon Kindley.

Swift finished his career with a school-record 6.6 yards-per-carry average, evidence of his efficiency.

WATCH: Swift says he’s healthy at NFL combine, ready to show versatility

Swift said he probably could have been used more in the pass game with the Bulldogs.

“Just always had a great ability to catch,” Swift told MLive.com.

“I think I could have been used more at Georgia in the passing game. I think we just found ways to win the game, so we just kind of handed off the ball to win the grind-it-out way a little bit, know what I mean?”

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