The Detroit Lions may need to make a move at running back sooner rather than later. Isiah Pacheco is on injured reserve, which means he’s going to miss at least the first four games of the season for Detroit. The Lions obviously have Jahmyr Gibbs, but some might think they’re thin behind him right now. Jacob Saylors and Sione Vaki are still in the mix. I personally think Saylors is going to be just fine as an RB2, and Vaki has some RB2 upside as well. But there are free agent running backs available, and I know Lions fans are going to ask about who might fit.

Here’s the thing: the answer to who Detroit signs might tell you everything about how the team views Pacheco’s long-term availability this season.

Kareem Hunt

This one’s pretty easy because the Lions have already worked him out. Hunt isn’t the player he was in Cleveland a few years ago, or in Kansas City before he left for the Browns, but he’s still a physical runner. He knows how to pass protect, and he can handle short yardage work. That matters because I don’t think Detroit is looking for somebody to come in and steal touches from Gibbs. The Lions need somebody they can trust to take on some of the dirty work, and Hunt can do that.

Jerome Ford

Honestly, Ford might be my favorite option if the Lions want somebody a little younger. Ford is only 26, and we’ve seen him handle a pretty significant workload in Cleveland back in 2023 when he ran for over 800 yards and added 300 yards as a receiver. This isn’t just some guy who’s been sitting at the bottom of a depth chart. He’s actually shown he can play, he can run, he can catch. He gives you a little bit more versatility than some of the other guys on this list, and he’s still young enough that the Lions could bring him in and grow with him. Ford did deal with some injuries this summer and was waived with an injury settlement, so we don’t know if he’s healthy and ready to come back just yet.

Antonio Gibson

Gibson gives you a different type of player. He’s always been a good receiving back. He was a receiver in college before moving to running back, and you can still see that in how he plays. If Detroit wants somebody it can move around a little bit, use on third down, or get involved in the passing game, Gibson gives you that. He could function as a running back/wide receiver dual-threat option.

The question is whether the Lions really need another player with that skill set when they already have Gibbs. I think Gibson adds some flavor, but Detroit would probably be better served with a guy more like Ford or Hunt who can pass protect and get short yardage.

Khalil Herbert

This one is less flashy, but I think it’s a pretty clean fit. Herbert is a straightforward runner. He’s had stretches where he’s been productive when he’s gotten opportunities, and he’s shown some explosiveness. You could bring him in, give him eight or 10 carries if you need to, and not really have to redesign anything. He’s kind of like David Montgomery if Montgomery were 75% as good as Montgomery. He can do some of the things Montgomery did, but he’s not as shifty and probably not as good in the pass game. He could be a solid pass protector and a good short yardage back.

Miles Sanders

This one would definitely be more of a reclamation project, which Lions general manager Brad Holmes has never shied away from. Sanders has had a rough couple of years, but he’s also a guy who has rushed for over 1,000 yards in this league. You’re not bringing him in expecting him to be that guy again. You’re asking whether there’s enough left for him to be a useful veteran backup for a few weeks while Pacheco is out.

What the signing tells you

The real question the Lions have to answer is whether they want somebody who can just survive for four weeks, or whether they feel like Pacheco might not be somebody who can last for a long time this season. The signing itself is going to tell you everything. If Detroit goes the Kareem Hunt or Jerome Ford route, that pretty much tells you that you might not see Pacheco again this year. If they go with something more like a Herbert or Sanders, it probably tells you Pacheco is coming back. And if they don’t do anything at all, well, that definitely tells you Pacheco is going to return.

Let’s see what happens in the coming weeks with the Lions and their running backs.

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