The names at the top of the Detroit Lions depth chart at running back have changed. Who fills the next few spots behind newcomers Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery is one of the biggest uncertainties on the Lions roster as the team enters mandatory minicamp, too.
With much of the offseason work unpadded and not full contact, it makes running back perhaps the hardest position to evaluate. Other than catching the ball and running routes, there isn’t a lot of what RBs do in games (breaking tackles, pass protection, running through contact) replicated. When the pads do come on and the action intensifies in training camp, including joint practices with the Giants and Jaguars in Allen Park, and preseason, there should be a lot of focus on the running back battle.
And what a battle it should be!
The top three RBs from last year are all gone. Jamaal Williams (Saints), D’Andre Swift (Eagles) and Justin Jackson (unsigned) accounted for all but 24 of the running back carries in 2022. The top returnee is Craig Reynolds, who had 23 of those.
Reynolds looked impressive in OTAs with his movement and hands as a receiver. He’s a muscular, power-oriented back who reliably churns out 4.4 yards per carry. Reynolds, now wearing No. 13, isn’t likely to break run much longer than that without having to run a defender over, however. He has shown he can catch the ball and pass protect adeptly, and the 26-year-old stepped up on special teams in 2022 as well.
He’s in pencil as the No. 3 back behind Gibbs and Montgomery, or Montgomery and Gibbs if you prefer. But Reynolds looks to have serious competition for that status, even if his roster spot appears safe.
Third-year back Jermar Jefferson has spent almost his entire career on the Lions practice squad. Jefferson has flashed sharp footwork and acceleration in his two training camps and preseasons since being a seventh-round pick in 2021, but he’s had ongoing struggles with ball security (both fumbling and catching) and pass protection.
It’s too early to know about the pass protection front, but Jefferson has been rock solid with his hands and receiving skills in OTAs. He also looks like he’s worked on his initial burst, and the attention to a weak point appears to be paying off. Jefferson looks more explosive and lithe.
Based on how he’s looked thus far and how he’s taken the top reps when Montgomery sits out of the voluntary activities, Jefferson figures to have ample opportunities to make more noise and carve out a legit role on the roster in his third season. Pass protection has to dramatically improve right away for that to happen. He’s still just 23 years old, so there is hope for Jefferson.
Then there are the undrafted wild cards, Greg Bell from the UDFA class of 2022 and Mohamed Ibrahim from this year. Both have the potential to usurp roles from Reynolds and/or Jefferson with strong summers. Both are also off to very impressive starts in those quests.
Bell made positive impressions by this point last offseason as a UDFA from San Diego State. A hamstring injury on the second day of training camp ended his rookie campaign. Bell is fighting the odds to make it, but he’s done that before; his college career nearly ended in 2019 with a terrible eye injury.
He’s got the best blend of power, speed, hands and quick feet of the group. The speed isn’t instant, but it’s impressive once he gets a lane–think James Stewart from days of Lions past. It was just noncontact drills, but the sharp cuts at full gallop Bell made in a couple of drills really stood out. If he can carry that into training camp and remain on the field, Bell has a legit chance to remain on the roster in 2023.
Ibrahim might have an even better chance than Bell. The Ibrahim we saw on Thursday was explosive and fast in the open field, a contrast to what he showed a week earlier. For a guy who made his living at Minnesota by running over and through would-be tacklers, that was impressive. The Lions gave Ibrahim a nice signing bonus, clearly seeing something worth going after.
It’s going to be fun watching this battle for the final two, or perhaps three, RB roster spots play out this offseason. New RB coach Scottie Montgomery and the Lions coaches have some tough decisions to evaluate at running back.
