Getty D'Andre Swift celebrates a score against Auburn.
The Detroit Lions have a new stable of running backs, and the best news is they are set to work together in order to pull the team’s dormant ground game out of the sewer.
Recently, D’Andre Swift was asked about joining the Lions, who already have a solid young runner in Kerryon Johnson. That doesn’t bother Swift at all, who is ready to compete in a big way in order to earn a role on the team for the 2020 season.
As Swift explained in a Detroit Free Press piece by Even Petzold, he’s ready to compete with Swift, a player he admires and thinks is excellent.
Swift said:
“I’ve been competing all my life,” Swift said Thursday on a Panini conference call. “Kerryon is a great back, great player. I remember when he was at Auburn, and he was killing us. He’s still doing great in the league.
“I can’t even give you my role. Whatever role they have for me, I just gotta make sure I’m in the best shape and know all of the plays so I’m ready to take it on full force. But I’m not going in there looking to do anything, just doing what I’ve been doing.”
Swift and Johnson are expected to be the top backs the team puts on the field this coming season, and the fact they already are familiar and get along is excellent. There seems to be no animosity whatsoever within the duo, and it’s clear each is ready to help the team more than they are ready to complain about who gets carries.
Kerryon Johnson Supports D’Andre Swift
Johnson watched from afar as Swift tore up the conference for the last few seasons, and as he said during a conference call a few months ago, he is excited and ready to have him on his side with the Lions. While playing for Auburn, Johnson admitted he didn’t much like to see Swift and his teammates given how dangerous they could be.
Additionally, Johnson said that he’s ready for a running mate and is fired up for Swift’s arrival into the Detroit backfield. Speaking with the media including Fox 2 Sports, Johnson made the comments.
@AyeyoKEJO gives his thoughts on the @Lions drafting a RB and what he thinks of @DAndreSwift
Johnson said:
“I knew we were going to draft a running back eventually. I think we got, in my opinion, definitely one of the top 2. I love having a running mate, I love winning games and I think he can help us do that so I wasn’t really tripping at all,” Johnson said. “I’m excited. He’s a phenomenal player. I remember playing against him in college. I hated seeing him every time we played against Nick Chubb and Sony (Michel), when that kid stepped on the field, he’s lightening in a bottle. He’s threatening to go 80 yards, 70, 60 every time he touched it. So I’m excited. I can learn from him, he can learn from me and we can all learn from each other and we can all get better and win some games.”
Obviously winning is the name of the game for the Lions moving forward, and the fact that Johnson is ready to go is a good sign for the entire team in 2020. The pair can be very good together given what each did in college, and it can only be seen as a positive for the Lions to have this duo in the mix.
Johnson seems to see that already.
D’Andre Swift Projected for Huge 2020 Season
This year, Swift is expected to play a huge role for the Lions in the backfield. As part of that role, Swift could see a ton of carries and put up some impressive numbers in his rookie season in the league. That’s just the kind of impact Pro Football Focus sees.
Swift is projected to rack up 179 fantasy points this season by PFF. That would represent the second highest total out of the entire rookie class behind only Clyde Edwards-Helaire of the Chiefs. Here’s a look at some of the projected totals:
They got next 💪
Obviously, the Lions are going to work to establish the run in a big way this season and Swift figures to be a huge part of that plan. How much of an impact he ends up making could be determined by what the team’s offense looks like, although this projection would be a good one for the team.
Detroit got better at running the ball under Darrell Bevell in 2019, and with an improved offensive line and health, figure to be even better this coming season. If Swift is able to deliver a season like this in fantasy terms, he might just be positioned to be in play for Rookie of the Year honors in the league.
This is just the type of season Lions fans want to see.
D’Andre Swift Stats
Arguably the best runner on the board and a player who many figured would go off the board in the first round, Swift is a hard charging back out of Georgia who was tough in his career playing in the SEC. With 2,885 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career, there is little doubting how well Swift would do at toting the rock and fitting in well within Detroit’s backfield situation.
Swift coming from the SEC will be huge for him in terms of being able to fit in seamlessly to the team. Georgia has put a lot of great runners into the league lately, and the hope for Swift is that he can join the squad and become the next runner that follows in the footsteps of players like Todd Gurley, Sony Michel and Nick Chubb. All of them have become great, and Swift could be next. He could help Detroit’s ground game over the top in the process.
This rookie season could be a big one for Swift if these productions come true. The pair is likely to be rooting for one another to have great seasons on the field.
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