The Lions used both of their first-round picks in the 2023 draft on positions deemed less valuable than others in recent years. That included the selection of running back Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall, something which led to expectations of immediate playing time. 
The Alabama product was in consideration for the Lions at their original No. 6 position, illustrating how high the team was on him. Gibbs’ draft stock surged as a result of his pass-catching abilities, and that skillset should see him on the field plenty as a rookie. With free agent signing David Montgomery in place as well, however, a division of labor is likely in the backfield this season.
The latter inked a three-year, $18MM deal to head to Detroit after four years in Chicago. That represented one of the most lucrative commitments made at the running back position this offseason, and gave the Lions an effective Jamaal Williams replacement. Having both Montgomery and Gibbs in the fold allowed Detroit to move on from former second-rounder D’Andre Swift, who had expressed frustration with his usage and faced an uncertain future in the Motor City beyond 2023.
In the early part of training camp, Montgomery and Gibbs split first-team reps, as detailed by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The former received between 201 and 247 carries in each of his Bears campaign, operating as the focal point of the team’s offense on the ground. With Gibbs, by contrast, set to contribute through the air, especially early in his career, a clear usage plan is in place for head coach Dan Campbell.
“Man, I think you need a back that, push comes to shove, he can carry a load,” Campbell said when asked about his new RB tandem (Twitter link via Sirius XM Radio). “Somebody you feel like you can give the ball to 20, 25 times a game, potentially. And then you need that specialty guy. He’s much more – he carries the scalpel and he can slice you up. He can hurt you in the pass game, potentially. I’m talking about Gibbs obviously. Get him out there and do a few more things, because that’s kind of what I know.”
Campbell named the highly-productive former Saints tandem of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara as a blueprint for the Lions to follow with Montgomery and Gibbs. Even with quarterback Jared Goff having impressed in Detroit last season, the backfield will no doubt play a central role in the team’s offensive success in 2023 and thus their ability to meet expectations. A two-pronged approach at the RB spot will prove to be effective if both Montgomery and Gibbs fit their respective billings.
It’s a win now league. This is year 3 for the HC & GM. I understand them filling out their roster via draft as they did. If Atlanta has another 500 season, there will be plenty of talk of needing a new GM/HC combo as a comparative example.
I think folks in Georgia are content watching the Bulldogs and Braves have success and have no real expectations of the Falcons being anything but mediocre again. The Lions haven’t won anything significant since 1957 so whether or not it’s a win now league probably doesn’t matter to them.
To be fair, it’s not the GM/HC’s draft picks and cash being spent. But they can draft and spend as they please…
By year 3, playoffs are the expectations; understandably. Otherwise, try again.
Do you get a dollar every time you use the “Lions haven’t won anything significant since 1957” line?
Even if things dont work out in Detroit this year, I would be pissed to lose Holmes. I’d honestly already keep him around til he wants to retire.
I would have signed Jamal Williams. Montgomery does not represent an upgrade in my opinion.
He was reportedly offered close to the same deal Montgomery got at 3-year $18m, but said he felt disrespected. So he signed a 3-year $12m with New Orleans. Go figure.
I think Jamal Williams was offered a little more like $6.5 million a year and felt disrespected. A lot of his TD’s last year were the result of the WR’s getting inside the 10 yard line or Swift breaking tackles getting inside the 10.. the thing the Lions will miss about him is his leadership. David Montgomery is pretty much the same skill maybe slightly better than Jamal. We’ll see how he does.
But Montgomery was running behind one of the worst O-lines in the league. Detroit has one of the best. Things should change for him now. And Gibbs is a rocket.
15 of Williams 17 TDs were 4 yards or less. Williams had no juke to his game and preferred running into tacklers instead of around them. That got old watching out O-line open gaping jokes just to have your RB waste it by taking on 3 possible tacklers when he couldn’t grabbed 8-12 or more yards by simply having vision. D-Mo has NEVER had a line like this to run behind and will break out this year in Detroit. And having Gibbs as a change of pace back will be awesome to watch! And lastly, just b/c DET hasn’t won a title since ’57 doesn’t mean anything. This front office is not setting this team up just to be good for a few seasons. They are setting this up to be good for years to come. Can’t wait to see what happens this season!
That’s just lemon’s lazy go-to line. Take it with a grain of salt. He uses it constantly. It used to be “haven’t won anything” until I pointed out they beat the Cowboys and went to the NFC Championship Game in ‘91. Then he changed it to “anything significant”. He’s not even a fan so it’s kind of puzzling why he makes a point to comment with the same line over and over and over.