Lions Reportedly Eying New ‘Expanded’ Role for Running Back

The Detroit Lions unleashed D’Andre Swift in Week 6, and more of the same could be coming for the future in terms of the team’s running game.

According to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, while fellow runner Adrian Peterson will remain the starter in the backfield, the Lions plan to give Swift an expanded role for the team moving forward.

Rapoport said:

“Keep an eye on D’Andre Swift, I am told he is going to have an expanded role on this offense after a breakout performance in Week 6. You’re going to see much more of him.”

The Lions need to feature more of Swift moving forward and that has been clear given the big games he has enjoyed lately. The team has a potential star in the making with Swift and needs to get him as many touches as they can in order to help make the offense a bit more dynamic. It’s clear Swift has the ability to do that with his speedy legs.

Not only can he catch the ball, but he can move the team forward down the field with the run. The hope is the Lions give him a chance to establish himself as a true star in the weeks ahead. The good news? That’s just what the team seems prepared to do.

Why D’Andre Swift Earns More Snaps With Detroit

Swift’s rookie start to the season proves why he should be given a bigger chance to run the ball and see the field more within Detroit’s offense. Whenever he’s touched it, he’s found a way to deliver the goods, his early season goal line drop against the Bears not withstanding. Despite that, Swift has often times doesn’t get the majority of carries and sees his role fluctuate week to week.

The pressure is on the Lions to deliver for Swift and make sure he can continue to get the right kinds of snaps in order to be a success consistently in the league. He earned it with plenty of solid work so far as a rookie. With this news, it looks as if that will be playing out starting now.

D’Andre Swift Career Stats

Swift came into the league this season as 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 college career, there was little doubting how well Swift would do at toting the rock and fitting in well within Detroit’s backfield situation and transitioning to the NFL. 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 as he showed flashes of this brilliance time to time since coming into the league as the stats show.

Prior to his week In the NFL, Swift hasn’t made a huge impact thus far and has been more known for his work as a pass catcher. That finally looks set to change.

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