{"id":35716,"date":"2025-07-03T16:15:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T16:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/35716\/"},"modified":"2025-07-03T16:15:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T16:15:09","slug":"detroit-lions-mailbag-3-burning-questions-on-the-future-at-running-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/35716\/","title":{"rendered":"Detroit Lions mailbag: 3 burning questions on the future at running back"},"content":{"rendered":"

Right now, there isn\u2019t a position more set on the Detroit Lions<\/a> roster than running back. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs will share the load as the two primary starters. The Lions also have reliable depth in veteran Craig Reynolds and second-year player Sione Vaki. With Montgomery under contract through 2027 and Gibbs with a fifth-year option to keep him locked up for the same duration, Detroit doesn\u2019t really need to start thinking about their backfield for a couple years.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s go down that road anyway. <\/p>\n

On this week\u2019s Midweek Mailbag podcast, Erik Schlitt and I discuss Detroit\u2019s future at running back\u2014which we break down into three topics. <\/p>\n

What will Sione Vaki\u2019s role be? <\/strong><\/p>\n

While Vaki isn\u2019t expected to challenge for one of the top two roles on offense, there is a good chance he could challenge Reynolds for the top spot. After playing in just 26 offensive snaps in his rookie season, what is a realistic expectation in 2025? Which situations could we see Vaki get involved? And was the draft pick worth it if he only stays on special teams? <\/p>\n

Will Gibbs see an uptick in touches in 2025? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Gibbs was masterful at the end of the 2024 regular season when Montgomery was out with an injury. In Weeks 16-18, Gibbs rushed 64 times for 365 yards (5.7 YPC) and five rushing touchdowns\u2014and added another 122 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. <\/p>\n

But as pointed out by Schlitt in his running back training camp preview<\/a>, Gibbs and Montgomery split touches exactly in half when both were healthy. <\/p>\n

So what will the Lions do in 2025? Gibbs certainly won\u2019t suddenly become the workhorse back, but does he deserve a bigger piece of the pie? And if so, by how much? <\/p>\n

Will Gibbs be worth a market-setting contract? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Earlier in the week, we provided an estimate for a potential Gibbs contract extension<\/a>, but there are still serious questions about the risk of a running back second contract\u2014let alone a record-setting one. History has not been kind to those who shell out big money for a second running back contract, but is the data shifting? Is Gibbs enough of a special talent to warrant going against the odds? <\/p>\n

We discuss all three of these questions to lead off this week\u2019s podcast. Other topics this week include: <\/p>\n