Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell is uncertain when he will be able to return after he was placed on the physically unable to perform list while he recovers from Achilles surgery.Continue for updates.Bell, Caldwell Comment on RB's RecoveryTuesday, Aug. 4"Coach (Jim) Caldwell has a better idea of when I might be back as far as the evaluation of my injuries," Bell said when asked about when he would return to practice, per the Detroit Free Press' Carlos Monarrez.Caldwell spoke about Bell's status, saying the running back will see action during the preseason once he's removed from the PUP list, via Dave Birkett of theDetroit Free Press."Yeah, he needs some work, but he also needs to make certain he's in the best possible physical condition he can be in, and that's up to the doctors," Caldwell said, via Birkett. "He's working, he's moving along well, he's making great progress, but we'll see where he is."Bell had to overcome an Achilles issue in the latter stages of the regular season; however, it didn't force him to miss any game action. The only contest he sat out came in Week 5 when he was sidelined by a concussion.Despite the uncertainty surrounding Bell's current status, Caldwell is optimistic about his recovery, according to Monarrez:"I think he's feeling as good as he's felt in a long time," Caldwell said. "He had a string of injuries there that held him back a little bit, and you can see it out on the field. He's moving better, his reaction times are better, so certainly when we get pads on we're excited to see what he can do."Although Bell can't do on-field work quite yet, he is still attempting to prepare himself for the season with breathing exercises through an oxygen mask, per Monarrez.While the Lions wait for him to return to the field, the focus shifts to the other backs on the roster. Theo Riddick and George Winn are the top returning backs from last season as Reggie Bush signed with the San Francisco 49ers.Perhaps the best option while Bell is on the shelf, though, is rookie Ameer Abdullah, who Detroit selected with the No. 54 overall pick out of Nebraska.The speedy workhorse rushed for over 1,600 yards in each of his final two seasons with the Cornhuskers, and he racked up 22 total touchdowns in 2014.Bell is a far more reliable and established player as he topped 1,000 total yards and eight touchdowns last season, but Abdullah and Riddick may form a solid enough duo for Detroit's offense to thrive until Bell is healthy enough to play.Provided the injury carries into the regular season, the onus will be on quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receivers Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate to pick up the slack.
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