Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

DeAndre Levy has played just 17 snaps of meaningful football in the last year, and the Detroit Lions' best linebacker hasn't practiced this summer while he recovers from an off-season injury.

But Levy said after practice today that he expects to return to the same Pro Bowl-caliber form that he showed before losing all of last season to hip surgery.

"I have no reason to believe I won’t be," said Levy, the Lions leader with 151 tackles in 2014. "I prepare the same way. That’s what it comes down to, I think."

Levy suffered a hip injury during a preseason practice last August and underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip in October.

He returned for organized team activities and minicamp this spring, but was placed on the non-football injury list at the start of training camp last month.

Levy once again declined to share details of his latest injury after practice today -- he denied that he suffered an off-season knee injury: "Who said that? People been leaking information around here. We need to tighten that up," he said -- but he said he's closing in on a return.

"Soon, I think," he said.

The Lions have been hit hard by injuries at the linebacker position this preseason.

Backup Jon Bostic underwent surgery today and is expected to be lost for the season to an injury he sustained in last week's joint practices with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And Zaviar Gooden (concussion) and Josh Bynes, who started last week's preseason opener at weakside linebacker in Levy's absence, missed practice today.

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Levy said he does not anticipate having much rust to shake off once he returns to the field.

"I don’t think so," he said. "We’ll see once I get out there, though."

And he said he doesn't feel it necessary to play in any of the Lions' remaining three preseason games.

"I want to get some before it gets live, but we got four preseason games," Levy said. "I think that’s a little much."

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Levy said he and new starting middle linebacker Tahir Whitehead talk football daily as a way to prepare for the season, and Whitehead said he expects to see the Levy of old once he's back on the field.

"I’m not worried about Lev because he’s a really good player – a great player," Whitehead said. "He understands football, so stuff like that, I don’t worry about Lev because I already know he’s played enough football to be able to come back and just hit the ground running."

No Tully: The Lions had just six healthy linebackers at practice Monday, including Dominique Tovell, who re-signed earlier in the day after he was released at the start of training camp.

Given their depth issues at the position, Caldwell was asked if re-signing Stephen Tulloch was a possibility.

Caldwell didn’t rule out a Tulloch return, but he didn’t sound enthusiastic about that possibility, either. Tulloch was cut last month after five seasons with the team and remains a free agent.

“Well, we’re constantly looking at options when we feel that we are short at a spot,” Caldwell said. “We look anywhere, everywhere for whomever can help us.”

Injury report: Offensive guard Geoff Schwartz did not practice Monday because of an undisclosed injury. Schwartz missed most of last season with the New York Giants with a foot injury and fractured leg.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Download our Lions Xtra app for free on Apple and Android!