20828862-standard.jpg

Lions running back Ameer Abdullah is one step closer to making his preseason debut.

(Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

ALLEN PARK -- Ameer Abdullah has finally shed the red 'no-contact' jersey he'd been ordered to wear during the first three weeks of practice.

The Detroit Lions tailback was back in a blue No. 21 jersey for Saturday's light, no-contact workout in Allen Park, which indicates he's ready for contact despite Jim Caldwell's coy explanation.

"It's in the wash," Caldwell said of the red jersey.

The Lions have been proactive with Abdullah's health since he underwent postseason shoulder surgery to correct an issue he sustained in a December game. He was held out of OTAs and minicamp, and was forced to wear the red jersey when he finally did rejoin practice at the start of training camp.

Abdullah wasn't allowed to be touched in intrasquad practices, was held out of team drills during joint practices with the Steelers and didn't dress at all for the first two exhibitions.

But Abdullah shedding the red jersey puts him one step closer to getting some much-needed live reps in Saturday's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Abdullah wouldn't confirm he expects to play in the game, and Caldwell was characteristically noncommittal as well. But the tailback sure sounded like a guy who anticipates seeing some action.

"If I'm allowed to play, (I want) to play a clean game," he said after practice. "I missed a lot of valuable snaps, so to get in there and be right up to speed with the guys who have been playing for a couple weeks now, is what I'm asked to do. And what I need to do."

Abdullah says he understands why the club was so cautious with his health.

"Just taking care of their players," he said. "They understand it's a process. You don't just throw people into situations where they can hurt themselves again, and I appreciate how they handled me throughout this process.

"Now it's my turn to return the favor, and do what I'm supposed to do."

Abdullah said he doesn't expect to have much rust because he's played the game so long, but he also understands the value of getting some live reps before the Sept. 11 opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

"It's just kind of like riding a bike sometimes," he said. "Once I get out there, the first hit happens, I get up, act like I'm all right. It's time to play."

Abdullah struggled a bit with ball-security as a rookie last season, and was briefly benched for it, but was able to make some midseason adjustments that allowed him to become Detroit's No. 1 tailback in the second half of the season.

He averaged 4.8 yards per carry in the final seven games, and finished with a team-best 597 rushing yards overall. He was also second in the league on kick return, averaging 29.1 yards per attempt.

Abdullah heads into this season as Detroit's clear-cut No. 1 tailback, ahead of Theo Riddick and Zach Zenner. George Winn, Stevan Ridley and rookie Dwayne Washington are battling for what probably amounts to the final job at the position.

That group has not been impressive without Abdullah, averaging just 3.1 yards per attempt. That's after averaging just 3.8 yards per carry last season, worst in the league.

But getting Abdullah back in a jersey that actually has a number on it is a good first step toward improvement.

"I know," he said of having the No. 21 again. "Hopefully I have a shot at making the team now."