The Lions brought in Kareem Hunt, and the timing makes one question hard to ignore
Detroit already has several backs competing behind Jahmyr Gibbs, so Hunt’s visit could say something about either Isiah Pacheco’s recovery or the Lions’ confidence in their depth.
Kareem Hunt visited the Detroit Lions on Tuesday, and to be honest, I don’t get that one. The former Pro Bowl running back is 31 years old and has been around the league for a while with stints in Kansas City and Cleveland. Hunt led the league in rushing in 2017 but hasn’t been that guy since then. The Lions may be looking at him for a couple of reasons, and it’s twofold.
Is Pacheco’s injury worse than we thought?
First off, maybe Isiah Pacheco’s injury is worse than we thought. Lions coach Dan Campbell talked about how they believed they would get him back by Week 1. Now I don’t know anymore. Hunt could be a nice one-two punch with Jahmyr Gibbs because Hunt does the same things Pacheco does, although I do believe Pacheco does them better.
The other thing is maybe the Lions are looking at the running back 3 position and thinking about Jacob Saylors, Sione Vaki, and Trayveon Williams, and Jabari Small. Maybe Detroit doesn’t feel as good about those guys as they would hope to. Because of that, they’re bringing in another option and thinking maybe you bring in Hunt and let him compete with Saylors or Vaki or whoever is going to make this team.
If it works out, you’d have a nice group when Pacheco gets back. Gibbs, Pacheco, and Hunt. That’s not bad on paper.
Hunt’s production and fit
Here’s the thing, though. Hunt is not the player everybody thought he was when he first came into the league. He’s had some injury issues over the years. He did play 17 games last season and ran for 611 yards and eight touchdowns. It was a decent season, and he could still be a good running back too. But he’s a little long in the tooth. He’d be one of the oldest players on this roster if the Lions were to sign him.
What does this mean for the roster battle?
You go back to Saturday and Dan Campbell talked about how hard this roster battle was to pick from. I just don’t understand why you don’t go with Saylors or Vaki at that point. That’s what makes this feel like something more than just a depth addition. It leans more toward the question of whether something is wrong with Pacheco. Does this mean the Lions might not expect him back as early as they initially indicated? Those are questions we have to ask.
I don’t know about this one, but it’s worth keeping an eye on. We’ll see how it plays out.
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