ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Defensive tackle Nick Fairley’s season is over after being put on injured reserve Wednesday because of his shoulder injury.
“It was a situation he could have potentially made worse and gone from a short-term thing to being a long-term thing,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. “It’s a little disappointing to lose him, but I think you look back on the season, he’s shown every reason that we drafted him. He’s well on his way to becoming a quality player in the NFL.”
Fairley, a 2011 first-round pick, is not expected to need surgery at this point. He made 35 tackles and 5 1/2 sacks in 13 games this season.
The Lions signed former Michigan State defensive tackle Ogemdi Nwagbuo to take Fairley’s spot on the roster. Nwagbuo, who played for the Spartans in 2006 and 2007 after transferring from a junior college, has NFL experience with San Diego and Carolina.
