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Detroit is off to a 3-1 begin, so this may increasingly appear nitpicky, however the Lions should re-evaluate their division of labor at working again. Detroit should give wildly gifted rookie Jahmyr Gibbs the lion’s share of the touches out of the backfield, not veteran David Montgomery.
After sporting one of many NFL’s finest working again duos in Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift (mixed 1,608 dashing yards, 22 dashing TDs in 2022), the Lions began over on the place this season.
As soon as Williams left in free company for the New Orleans Saints, Detroit signed Montgomery to a three-year, $18 million contract in free company. Then, within the 2023 NFL Draft, the Lions shocked many by taking Gibbs with the twelfth total choose. They subsequently traded Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles, receiving a 2025 fourth-round choose and swapping 2023 seventh-round picks within the deal.
The Lions have huge expectations for Gibbs, and whereas the 21-year-old rookie has shined when he has performed, his alternatives have been comparatively sparse. Within the Lions’ 34-20 rout of the Inexperienced Bay Packers at Lambeau Subject on Thursday, Montgomery was the workhorse, amassing 121 yards on 32 carries and three touchdowns.
Gibbs, in the meantime, had 12 touches — eight carries for 40 yards and 4 catches for 11 yards. For the season, he has solely 53 touches — 39 dashing and 14 receiving — despite the fact that Montgomery missed a recreation with a thigh damage.
With Montgomery getting the majority of the work at working again, Detroit’s resolution to make use of its first choice within the 2023 draft on a working again is introduced into query. Swift’s tumultuous time in Detroit and unceremonious departure increase additional doubts about Detroit’s decision-making.
Detroit chosen Swift with the No. 35 total choose within the 2020 NFL Draft, making him the second working again taken off the board. The Georgia product by no means turned the Lions’ three-down again, nonetheless, failing to hurry for greater than 650 yards in any season with the group.
It wasn’t till final season that Swift took a again seat to Williams, who posted 262 carries for 1,066 yards and a franchise-record 17 dashing touchdowns. Down the stretch, Swift obtained far fewer carries than Williams.
After Swift rushed for 542 yards (5.5 yards per try) and 5 touchdowns in 2022, the Lions ditched the 24-year-old veteran for even youthful expertise in Gibbs. Now in Philadelphia, Swift is placing collectively a resurgent season, dashing for over 100 yards in back-to-back video games and averaging a whopping 6.8 yards a carry. The dude can play.
The Lions have to be cautious of not making the identical mistake as they usher Gibbs into the NFL. In the course of the two video games this season through which Montgomery was wholesome, he obtained 79% and 71% of the snap rely in comparison with Gibbs’ 27% and 37%, respectively.
Though Montgomery has performed effectively, Gibbs brings uncommon athleticism (4.36 velocity within the 40-yard sprint) and elusiveness that Montgomery does not have.
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