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Offensively, the Detroit Lions seem to be in good shape as they push toward the NFL offseason, but there are some big questions that still remain for the team.
Specifically, the spot of running back is one to watch for the team in the days ahead. A new ranking of the position by NFL.com and writer Kevin Patra shows the team as having those questions for the near future.
Patra recently ranked teams in terms of their running back situations ahead of the offseason, and while he had the Lions sitting pretty for the most part, he did admit there are some fairly large questions the team will have to address.
Mostly, the team will be waiting to see what happens with Jamaal Williams, and that priority leads the team to be ranked in the “key free agent questions” segment of the analysis for Patra.
“Williams is a priority free agent for the Lions. His ability to smash the ball into the end zone was unparalleled in 2022, when he scored a league-high 17 rushing TDs. The veteran plays tough, hits the hole hard and was critical to a good Lions ground attack. The big question is how much GM Brad Holmes will shell out to keep him in Honolulu Blue. If Detroit can keep Williams, the backfield is well-positioned. Swift is a dynamic talent but has proven he’s best with a solid running mate to share the load,” he wrote in the piece.
As good as the Lions were on the ground in 2022, posting the 11th rated rushing attack in the league, the question will be whether or not the team can run it back in 2023, and what kind of changes are made if any.
Recently, Patra rated the Lions as having “bigger fish to fry” at wide receiver. They were not in this category at running back, proving there are some key questions that have to be addressed before the offseason.
Obviously, Williams is the biggest piece the Lions have to think about relative to that first and foremost.
Williams Decision Looms Largest Over Lions
It isn’t a stretch at all to say that Patra is right. The Lions’ offseason could well be shaped by what happens with Williams and what the team elects to do.
As a whole, Williams had a gaudy slash line this year for Detroit. He rushed for 1,066 yards and 17 touchdowns. Additionally, he managed to put up 73 receiving yards for the team. He was Detroit’s leading rusher on the season, and always dependable.
With a big output over the final handful of games, Williams was able to crack the elusive 1,000 yard mark for Detroit, which was huge for a Lions running back given nobody since Reggie Bush had accomplished that feat since 2014.
Williams, thanks to his ability to be a sledgehammer near the goal line and in the red zone, has earned the right to stay with the Lions. He’s also been one of the best vocal leaders on the team, routinely connecting with his teammates and Detroit as he did after the season finale.
It’s clear that Williams has been the team MVP for the Lions during the 2022 season. Now, it will be up to the the team to decide whether to keep him around for the long-term.
The move with Williams will likely kick-start everything else the Lions want to do at the position, and determine the way things go the rest of the way.
Lions Have Other Decisions at Running Back
The decisions at running back for Detroit aren’t limited to what to do with Williams. The team also has to make a call on what they want their future to be with D’Andre Swift.
While a decision doesn’t have to be as imminent with Swift as it does with Williams, the Lions will be soon approaching time to either decide to keep Swift around on a new deal, or decide to move on relative to how inconsistent he has been with regards to health and games played in his past.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Lions keep Swift at least another year, but it also wouldn’t be a shock to hear that the team has at least discussed him on the market with teams if they want to accelerate the decision making process.
In addition to Williams, the team has another less-talked about yet just as important free agent in Justin Jackson.
Jackson fought his way on the team in training camp and continued to make his imprint on the roster all season long. Statistically, he was solid with 271 total yards on 42 touches and two touchdowns. Perhaps his best run came in a 34-23 upset win against Minnesota in the fourth quarter on second-and-10 to pad Detroit’s lead:
Jackson’s determination and physicality was a constant asset to the offense, as was his pass catching, given his 12 receptions on the season was a fantastic total. The Lions seemed to find something unique Jackson, who is a great third option out of the backfield for the team.
Whether the team chooses to bring back Williams and Jackson and what they do with Swift will be very interesting to note, and proves that the team does have many key free agency decisions to be made at the spot even as strong as it looks now.
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