Lions OK with Nick Fairley's shape
Lions large defensive tackle Nick Fairley is listed at 298 pounds but is likely closer to 306, MLive.com reports. That said, the Lions don't believe Fairley is unhealthy or too large.
Fairley had a good start to the season when he had 1 1/2 sacks againts Minnesota. He hurt his shoulder in that game, however, and hasn't been the same since. Still, defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham doesn't believe it has anything to do with weight or conditioning.
"He got hurt a little bit, and this last week he got better," Cunningham said. "He's had a really good week of practice, so I think everything will be OK.
"I see his strength on the field and he looks a lot stronger again, so I think he'll be ready to go."
Cunningham said that the team checks Fairley's weight every Friday and has been satisfied by the results. He's remained consistent at this current weight.
"Nick's got a body that is old-school football," Cunningham said. "There's a whole bunch of guys in the (practice facility) hallway with their pictures up there -- those guys all looked like that. There's nothing that's ever going to change with his body, but he's strong. There's no question about that. He's fast, and he just needs to get back into the groove. And I hope this is the week."
