Inside the Article:
The Detroit Lions made significant changes to their running back room during the offseason, parting ways with top back Jamaal Williams in free agency and executing a trade that sent D’Andre Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles during the NFL Draft. However, this trade has raised concerns among insiders, with one warning that the Lions might come to regret their decision.
Insider warns Detroit Lions may regret trading D’Andre Swift
Randy Mueller, a former NFL general manager, expressed his reservations in an article for The Athletic, suggesting that Swift’s departure and the addition of rookie Jahmyr Gibbs may not be advantageous for the Lions in the long run.
“I don’t love the D’Andre Swift running back swap-out for rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, who rotated mostly in college and did not gain 1,000 yards in any one season,” Mueller wrote. “I think Swift is really good and could have a giant year with the Eagles.”
“I do understand there may have been frustration with [Swift’s] inconsistent availability due to injury,” he wrote. “But youth and unproven players always cause a bit of anxiety. Lions fans should enjoy Gibbs’ skill set as a receiver right away, so I get it.”
Key Points
- Insider warns that the Lions may regret trading D’Andre Swift to the Eagles.
- Concerns are raised about rookie Jahmyr Gibbs filling the void left by Swift.
- Mueller praises Swift’s skills and potential for a successful season with the Eagles.
- Swift’s inconsistent availability due to injuries contributed to the trade decision.
- Gibbs is viewed as unproven and may not offer the same level of production as Swift.
- The Lions received a fourth-round pick in 2025 and a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft in exchange for Swift and their seventh-round pick.
- The trade allowed Swift to join his hometown team, which had recently reached the Super Bowl.
- The Eagles anticipate utilizing Swift’s versatility and highlight his past success against them.
Bottom Line – A Move That May Haunt the Lions?
My two cents on this one is that it will not take too many games in the 2023 season for Mueller to realize that he was dead wrong with this take. The fact that Swift could not say healthy for the Lions is enough in itself to justify unloading him for draft capital. But then, when you look at what type of weapon Gibbs can be for the Lions, then it really starts to become clear that the Lions made the right decison.
