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Injured Safety James Ihedigbo Says He Is Steadily Improving, Has Had No Setbacks

By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak

ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) - Detroit Lions safety James Ihedigbo, who came to the Lions as a free agent this offseason to assume a starting role, has yet to play in a regular season game for Detroit.

Friday's injury report listed Ihedigbo as limited in practice last week due to a neck injury. Ihedigbo says his status is day-to-day. However, he also said his improvement has been steady, without setbacks.

"Every day is progress, and that's a positive thing," Ihedigbo said Wednesday. "The scary thing is if it was getting worse and worse and worse - then we're thinking about other things and a longer period of time, but the positive thing that it is getting better. Day to day it's getting better and better and improving. I guess that's the exciting part.

"I'm getting improvement, I'm getting strength, I'm getting closer," Ihedigbo added. "I'm just not where I want to be, where the trainers want me, to be able to say, 'All right, go play 100 percent.'"

A seven-year veteran who joined Detroit following two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, with whom Ihedigbo won a Super Bowl, the safety said he wants to be able to contribute at his normal level when he returns to playing in games.

"It's me being my best that I can be and close to 100 percent to play the way that I play on the field," Ihedigbo said. "If I can't do that, I'm no good to my teammates. I'll hinder us. Day-to-day, getting better and better. Isa [Abdul-Quddus], he's filled in and he's playing great ball and he just has to keep that up, and Glover [Quin]'s being Glover. When I'm ready, I will be out there. I can't wait. I cannot wait.

"I know Lions fans can't wait; trust me, I cannot wait to get back on the field," Ihedigbo added. "I'm doing everything that the doctors and trainers have told me to do to get there, and day to day, getting closer and closer."

 

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