Getty D'Andre Swift celebrates a score in 2020 against the Packers.
The Detroit Lions are hoping for a big season from running back D’Andre Swift, and if the running back has anything to say about it, he’s going to deliver given the work he is putting in.
Swift has been working hard this offseason in order to get himself ready for 2022 and has been looking impressive in the process. Now that it’s the dead period between workouts and the start of camp, Swift isn’t resting whatsoever.
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The running back continues to chase down success on the field by preparing off the field. Swift was spotted with some other young titans of the game — Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase, Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills and Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette — working out hard on the treadmill.
Here’s a quick look at the group grinding:
Ja’Marr Chase, D’Andre Swift, Jalen Mills, & Leonard Fournette putting in work 😤
@Real10jayy__ x @DAndreSwift x @greengoblin x @_fournette
(via @JBush____)
Seeing Swift get after it so aggressively along with some of his contemporaries in the league is huge. This is the kind of leading by example that young players need to have and see in order to be successful on the field.
The fact that Swift is stepping up and being accountable while working out hard is a good sign. He knows that there is no letting up on the road to becoming an elite running back and NFL star.
Swift Has Already Changed Body This Offseason
Swift has made changing his body and being more durable a goal for 2022. So far, it looks as if he is coming through at doing just that. Already during the OTA sessions, Swift has been impressive on the field and not just for his work during drills or impressive maturity.
Already, it looks like Swift is ready to take a pounding on the field, as he has boosted his conditioning in a big way. Some photos have surfaced from the work period that show a very muscular Swift on the field taking on a more imposing look.
Here’s an example, courtesy of Twitter user Honolulu Blues:
D’Andre Swift looks like hes been hittin the weight room this off-season #Lions 💪🏼💪🏼
Seeing a more imposing Swift is a welcome sight for fans, and he looks like the kind of player who could be poised to do some big damage at running back this year with some extra weight to help him stay tough. In addition to the weight, Swift clearly doesn’t want to lose his speed, either.
Swift’s Improved Strength Will Benefit Lions
Whether or not Swift stars as hoped for Detroit next season behind the team’s front may depend a lot on his ability to stay healthy in the short and long term. The proper physical Injuries have been an unfortunate part of his story the first few seasons in the league, which continued in 2021 with the shoulder ailment that held him out until the last few weeks of the year from around Thanksgiving.
Perhaps with a stronger, more durable-looking frame, Swift can avoid some of the smaller nagging injuries that have cost him time during his first few years on the field.
The good news for Lions fans is that Swift got back on the field to finish out the season, and was able to finish it strong against Seattle and Green Bay in the season’s final pair of games. That Swift, with the added bonus of more weight, could prove very tough to stop.
Finding a way to keep Swift healthy and fresh to keep making this kind of impact had to be on the minds of the Lions’ brass into the offseason. Seeing him show up looking very jacked and muscular has to be a welcome sight for the Lions as a result, as is seeing him continuing to work away from the building on his speed training.
It’s great news to see this playing out for the Lions.
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