The Lions don't have a return date in mind for rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley, but coach Jim Schwartz said the chances of him playing Sunday in Dallas are "slim" at best.

Fairley, the 13th overall pick in the 2011 draft, has been sidelined since Aug. 1 and hadn't practiced since he had surgery on his fractured foot before he took the field for the first time Friday, albeit on a limited basis.

Because Fairley has been slow to recover from the surgery, he won't be pushed to return.

"He's making progress, he's improving," Schwartz said on his radio show in Detroit. "And we're not going to put him on the field before he's ready."

ESPN reported Monday that Fairley was expected to return Sunday as a pass-rush specialist.

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.