Getty Dan Campbell coaching the Lions in 2022 against Seattle.
The Detroit Lions are making some last-minute changes to their backfield before the start of training camp, parting ways with a veteran running back and bringing back a familiar face.
The team announced on July 22 that they signed veteran running back Justin Jackson, who was the team’s top kick returner last season but had remained unsigned after hitting free agency. To make room for Jackson’s return, the Lions waived fellow running back Greg Bell.
Though some insiders predicted that Bell could find himself on the outside of the roster bubble this summer, the timing of the move with just days until the start of training camp drew some attention.
Running Back Faced ‘Uphill Battle’ to Make Lions Roster
Some insiders had already predicted a difficult time for Bell to make the final 53-man roster. The Athletic’s noted that while the Lions lost last year’s top two backs, D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, to trade and free agency respectively, there is expected to be plenty of competition this summer. The team drafted Jayhmr Gibbs and signed veteran David Montgomery, which left a tall task for Bell in making the final roster.
“After missing the 2022 season with a hamstring jury, Bell was back at it for offseason workouts. He faces an uphill battle for a roster spot, though,” he wrote.
The Lions seemed to have high hopes for Bell in the past. When the team signed him last year as an undrafted free agent out of San Diego State University, Bell earned $100,000 in guaranteed money, the third-highest of all the team’s undrafted free agents.
Lions assistant head coach and running backs coach Duce Staley praised Bell at the time, saying he had a pro-ready range of skills.
“When you get a chance to turn the tape on, on Greg Bell, you see vision,” Staley said, via SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit. “I remember turning the SDSU tape on because they do some different things offensively and he just kept sticking out. I was like, ‘Man, I gotta find out who this kid is.’ You see the great vision, the burst, and you saw his hands.”
New Opportunities in Detroit Backfield
Jackson’s return could mean more competition on special teams, where the team hinted that the rookie Gibbs could see some usage in the return game. Bell’s departure could also leave an opportunity for a highly touted undrafted rookie to have a stronger chance at making the final 53-man roster.
Christian Booher of SI.com’s All Lions noted that former Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim appeared to be on track to make the roster, and could already be ahead of another veteran. Booher noted that Craig Reynolds appeared to have a tenuous hold on a roster spot as training camp approached, just as he famously did last summer.
“A scene during last season’s ‘Hard Knocks’ in which Campbell and the staff debated releasing Craig Reynolds may prove telling,” Booher wrote. “Ibrahim was a surprising UDFA who had a good career at Minnesota. If he can translate his talent into a strong training camp, he’ll have a solid shot to make the roster as the third running back.”