The Detroit Lions made a shocking move with the No. 12 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night. They selected former Alabama Crimson Tide star RB Jahmyr Gibbs.
This move comes a month after they signed RB David Montgomery to a three-year, $12 million contract. The Lions still have star RB De’Andre Smith on the roster too.
D’Andre Swift was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft and has been the focal point of the team’s backfield ever since.
The Lions backfield appears to be too crowded for D’Andre Swift, who averaged a solid 5.5 yards per carry last season but now may not have a place on the team.
Gibbs is a very talented player but using their top pick on a position that wasn’t of real need just leaves more questions than answers.
Lions General Manager Brad Holmes sounded on Thursday night like he’d be open to trading Swift.
“He’s still on our roster,” Holmes said of Swift. “He’s still part of our team. He’s still under contract with us. He’s a dynamic football player. It hasn’t really changed the math there yet, but it’s early.”
If there’s a team out there that wants Swift, who’s heading into the final year of his rookie contract and due a $1.77 million base salary this season, that team probably won’t have to give up much to trade for him. The Lions appear ready to move on.
Lions RB De’Andre Swift. Photo courtsey of Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
