After an offseason of turnover throughout the running backs room, it looks like the Lions intend to secure some consistency. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Detroit holds the intention of re-signing free agent running back Justin Jackson.
Originally a seventh-round pick in 2018, Jackson came out of Northwestern as the school’s all-time leading rusher and as only the ninth player in college football history to have four years with 1,000 yards rushing. He served as a reliable backup throughout his rookie deal for Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler in Los Angeles before eventually getting to test free agency last offseason.
He was a late addition, signing with Detroit a little less than a year ago. The Lions were already set atop the depth chart with D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, but Jackson came in and assumed an RB3-role after getting promoted off of the practice squad early in the season. He ended up slipping ahead of Craig Reynolds, who had impressed in two starts the previous season, for the backup role behind Swift and Williams.
With Swift and Williams now departed due to trade and free agency, respectively, Jackson would become the team’s leading returning rusher, despite 2022 seeing a career-low 170 rushing yards. The departures of Swift and Williams don’t necessarily point to a promotion for Jackson. With Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs joining the team as a first-round pick and David Montgomery coming across the division in free agency, Jackson should find himself back at RB3. Signing Jackson would also answer the question of who is returning kickoffs in Detroit after he served as the team’s primary kick returner in 2022.
It’s an interesting room right now as none of the team’s rushers have seen necessarily high-end production. While Montgomery consistently delivers seasons of at least 800 rushing yards, his highest output has only ever been 1,070. Similarly, Gibbs never saw elite production during his time in Atlanta or Tuscaloosa in college, topping out at 926 rushing yards in a season. Regardless of who takes over a lead role or whether the two backs split time, if Jackson does indeed sign, Detroit would know it has reliable depth behind Gibbs and Montgomery in Jackson, Reynolds, and Jermar Jefferson.
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