We are 22 days away from the start of Detroit Lions training camp, and today in our Detroit Lions Training Camp Roster Preview, on Thursday, we looked at the quarterback room for the Lions, and today we will look at their running backs.
Detroit Lions Training Camp Roster Preview: Running Backs
David Montgomery
Montgomery signed a three-year $18 million contract with the Lions this offseason. Montgomery last season for the Bears had a great season playing in all 16 games rushing for 801 yards on 201 carries and scoring five touchdowns; he also hauled in 34 passes for 316 yards and one touchdown.
Jahmyr Gibbs
Gibbs was drafted by the Lions with the 12th overall pick out of Alabama. He will be a threat for the Lions running the ball as well as being a pass catcher out of the backfield. Last season for the Crimson Tide, Gibbs rushed for 926 yards on 151 carries and scored seven touchdowns; he also recorded 44 receptions for 444 yards and three touchdowns.
Jason Cabinda
Cabinda is the Lions fullback and entering his fifth season on the team. Cabinda last season played in eight games, recording one carry for four yards and one catch for five yards. Cabinda used to be a linebacker that the Lions decided to turn into a fullback and have used him as a blocker in their goal line plays, and he has been efficient in that role.
Craig Reynolds
Reynolds is entering his fifth season and third with the Lions, and he will be fighting to make the team and hold the third spot on the depth chart behind Gibbs and Montgomery. Reynolds last season played in nine games, rushing the ball 23 times for 102 yards.
Jermar Jefferson
Jefferson was drafted by the Lions at pick number 257 overall in the 2021 NFL draft and didn’t play in a game for them last year, but in 2021 he appeared in seven games averaging 4.9 yards a carry and scoring two touchdowns.
Mohamed Ibrahim
Ibrahim was expected to be one of the most exciting college running backs two years ago, but he suffered a ruptured Achilles Tendon. Last season he returned to the Minnesota Golden Gophers and had a productive year rushing for 1,665 yards on 320 carries and scored 20 touchdowns on the ground. The Lions signed Ibrahim as an undrafted free agent following the draft.
Greg Bell
Bell was signed by the Lions last season as an undrafted free agent, he did not play in any games for them last season as he suffered a hamstring injury on the second day of training camp. In 2022 when he played at San Diego State, Bell rushed for 1,091 yards on 245 carries; he’ll look to make his case during training camp this season to claim a roster spot.
Bottom Line: The Lions have a solid RB duo entering 2023
The Detroit Lions starting running backs last season were D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. This season, they turned the page and went with a different duo, and honestly, as good of a season as Williams had last season, this 2023 duo of Montgomery and Gibbs may be more exciting and should have Lions fans excited for what’s to come in 2023. The main question as training camp will begin in a few short weeks is who will be behind them on the depth chart; one name to really watch out for is Mohamed Ibrahim, who could make a case that he deserves to be the fourth or even the third back on the depth chart even though he went undrafted.
