Allen Park — After being sidelined all season because of an ankle injury, Detroit Lions fullback Jason Cabinda practiced for the first time on Wednesday, starting a three-week acclimation period before the team would need to add him to the active roster.
The converted linebacker, in his third season at the fullback position, played 141 offensive snaps for the Lions last season. He’s also been one of the team’s top special-teams contributors in recent years, averaging more than 260 snaps with those groups the past two seasons.
“First of all, just his attitude and approach is amazing,” running backs coach Duce Staley said last week, when asked what the team has been missing while Cabinda has been sidelined. “Every day, he has the same attitude; he has the same approach when it comes to practice or a game. He brings a lot of juice and energy out there on the field and going out there just being physical.
“And he’s one of those old-school fullbacks. He’s downhill. I mean he’s trying to knock a guy out, so we miss that in our room. We miss that, him coming in here, just talking about what he’s going to do, how he’s going to do it, and that right there carries over in our room.”
Cabinda is eligible to appear in a game as soon as this week, but will likely need some time to get into game shape. He’s more than likely on track to debut in the team’s Thanksgiving contest against Buffalo on Nov. 24.