Lions keep Montgomery off IR, holding out hope another opinion on his knee injury clears him

The Detroit Lions are holding out hope that running back David Montgomery might be able to return from what was believed to be a season-ending knee injury.

"We're in a holding pattern as of right now," coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday. "That's a positive."

Campbell said Montgomery is getting another opinion on his knee injury, which occurred Sunday during the Lions' 48-42 loss to the Bills.

"That's why we have not put him on injured reserve," he said. "We're in a waiting mode."

The Lions placed defensive tackle Alim McNeill, cornerback Carlton Davis and special teams ace Khalil Dorsey on injured reserve on Tuesday, putting an NFL-high 21 players on IR.

Detroit signed Anthony Pittman off Jacksonville's practice squad, acquiring a 28-year-old linebacker who played in 17 regular-season games and three times in the playoffs last season for the Lions. Detroit also signed cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver off its practice squad, adding depth at a position that took a hit with Davis' jaw injury with a 26-year-old player that has 25 games of NFL experience.

Detroit (12-2) visits Chicago (4-10) on Sunday clinging to a first-place tie with Minnesota in the NFC North, along with a tie with the Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles for the top seed in the conference.

If Montgomery can return at some point, even if he's held out until the playoffs, that would provide a boost for a team that needs its high-powered offense to compensate for a banged-up defense that has 16 players on IR.