Nick Fairley has had a difficult offseason with the Detroit Lions. After the team declined his 2015 option in hopes that the former Auburn star would lose weight and be motivated to earn a new contract, Fairley shed too many pounds. Now, he has started to go in the opposite direction again.
According to MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke, Fairley has packed weight back on at a furious pace and was demoted to the second-team defense in practice this week. Fairley has been replaced — at least for the time being — by veteran defensive tackle CJ Mosley. Meinke notes that there have been times where Mosley looks like he has discovered the “fountain of youth.”
Fairley, a former 13th overall pick, is just 26. He has the physical tools needed to dominate the opposition, but it has become clear that he does not put in enough effort and dedication during the offseason and in practice. Mosley alluded to that when speaking to reporters earlier this week.
“He’s a bright guy. He’s cool. He kinda just adventures off sometimes,” Mosley said of Fairley. “But I do that as well. He’s a great teammate, a great guy. I just don’t know what’s going on with the situation. But I encourage him as much as I can.”
The situation is that the Lions are obviously unhappy with Fairley. He has a few weeks to get back into shape and prove he is deserving of a starting role, but Mosley isn’t making it easy for him. This could very well be Fairley’s last season in Detroit.
