ALLEN PARK, Mich. - The Lions are taking a look at the veteran safeties on the market with injury concerns adding up in the secondary.

Starting strong safety Amari Spievey missed most of the second half in Dallas Sunday with a hamstring injury. Coach Jim Schwartz said it was a day-to-day injury, but hamstring injuries have a tendency to linger and the Lions would want to get a veteran up to speed this week if Spievey is unavailable for Monday's game against the Bears.

Compounding the problem, primary back-up and special teams leader Erik Coleman is going to be out for an extended period after sustaining an ankle injury at the start of the third quarter. He was in a boot and on crutches after the game.

That left veteran John Wendling, primarily a special teams ace, to play alongside free safety Louis Delmas most of the second half of Sunday's win over the Cowboys. There is no other safety on the 53-man roster. A developmental prospect, rookie Ricardo Silva, is one possibility if the team wants to promote him from the practice squad.

"Wendling played well," coach Jim Schwartz said. "It was similar to what he did at Tampa Bay last year. We lost Spievey in pregame warmups and we lost Delmas in the second series. Wendling went in and played very well. He's not played a lot of defense but he is a dependable guy.

"We are just going to have to see where we are as we get through the week."

Wendling, a Pro Bowl alternate as a special teamer last season, has never made a start on defense in his five seasons.

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