D’Andre Swift

Lions RB D’Andre Swift Frustrated With Usage

November 13th, 2022 at 5:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Expectations were high for the Lions’ offense this season, in part due to the team’s investments at receiver but also the presence of running back D’Andre Swift. The 23-year-old has once again battled injuries this year, though, leading to a notable shortage of touches.

Swift picked up an ankle injury early in the campaign, but a shoulder sprain led the team to keep him sidelined for the two weeks leading into their bye. The decision was aimed at getting him back to full health in time for Week 7, but he did not return to action until the following game. The Georgia product had availability concerns based on his first two seasons in the league, having missed three games as a rookie and another four in 2021.

Detroit strictly limited Swift’s workload upon his return, giving him just nine carries across two games. That figure was expected to increase slightly during today’s game against the Bears, as detailed by team reporter Tim Twentyman earlier in the week. That came amidst the team seeking to exercise caution with the former second-rounder, of course, but also a growing sense of frustration on the player’s part with his usage.

“I think he got pissed off a little bit,” Lions OC Ben Johnson said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, in the wake of Swift only seeing the field for just 10 snaps against the Packers in Week 9. “But that’s good,” he added. “That means he’s going the right direction for us.”

During today’s comeback win against the Bears, Swift received six carries – ranking a distant second to veteran Jamaal Williams‘ 16 – adding one catch on three targets. While he was able to find the endzone in the fourth quarter, it was Williams who scored the game-winning touchdown in the closing minutes. That will no doubt leave the shared workload between the two a topic of conversation moving forward.

The Lions are still without receivers DJ Chark and Jameson Wiliams, and traded away tight end T.J. Hockenson at the deadline. That would point to a ground-heavy attack, but Johnson cautioned that Swift’s ongoing workload limits are a sign that he is still not fully healthy. With both he and Williams available (at least to varying degrees), 3-6 Detroit will visit the 7-2 Giants next week.

Inactives Today: Dotson, Swift, Bakhtiari, Horn

October 23rd, 2022 at 11:04am CST by Ely Allen

Washington was hoping to get its rookie first-round pick back today after missing the past two weeks with a hamstring injury, but, after seemingly reaggravating the hamstring in practice Thursday, Dotson will miss his third game in a row, according to Stacey Dales of NFL Network. In his absence, Washington will rely on Curtis Samuel and Dyami Brown to work opposite Terry McLaurin on offense.

The Commanders have been a mixed bag without Dotson in the lineup. In the team’s loss to the Titans two weeks ago, Brown and Samuel combined to catch eight balls for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Brown’s production came on two long touchdown catches, while Samuel was peppered with eight targets working a shorter range. The two did enough to compliment McLaurin and open him up to snag five passes for 76 yards.

There wasn’t much offense to be found the next week during the Commanders’ win in Chicago, as quarterback Carson Wentz only accumulated 99 passing yards. McLaurin showed up, as usual, catching three balls for 41 yards, while Samuel only caught two of his five targets for 6 yards and Brown was only targeted once. The team has also utilized Cam Sims and Dax Milne, but Samuel and Brown seem to be the most capable candidates to replace Dotson’s production.

Here are a few other notes on players listed an inactive today:

Continuing a trend from his first two seasons, injuries seem to be weighing down Lions running back D’Andre Swift this year as he is also set to miss his third straight game, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Lions have the very capable legs of backup Jamaal Williams who, despite the offense’s struggles during a Week 5 trip to New England, has performed admirably in the lead role during Swift’s absence. Craig Reynolds has taken up the backup duties with Justin Jackson contributing, as well. All three will likely be needed for a tough trip to Dallas.
The Packers continue to get intermittent play out of star tackle David Bakhtiari due to the lingering effects of his recovery from last year’s ACL tear. After playing sparingly in two of the last four games, Bakhtiari will be out today against the Commanders, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Zach Tom is likely to sub in to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers blindside, while Yosh Nijman slots in at right tackle.
The Panthers will be without second-year cornerback Jaycee Horn for the second week in a row. Last week, the team called on C.J. Henderson to start opposite Donte Jackson but split much of the playing time with second-year backup Keith Taylor. They’ll likely depend on a similar gameplan today against the Buccaneers.

Lions RB D’Andre Swift, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown Ruled Out For Sunday

September 30th, 2022 at 8:38pm CST by Ely Allen

The Lions offense continues to get bitten by injuries as two key offensive players were officially ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The team will attempt to catch up to the rest of the NFC North without running back D’Andre Swift and second-year wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Swift started off the season with a bang. During the team’s season-opening loss to the Eagles, Swift carried the ball 15 times for 144 yards and a touchdown. Since then, some different ailments seem to have slowed Swift down as he’s only had 12 carries for 87 yards in the past two weeks while playing less than half of the team’s offensive snaps during that time frame. Head coach Dan Campbell has suggested that Swift could be out through the team’s bye week, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Swift would only miss the Lions’ next two games in that scenario.

Luckily for Detroit, they roster one of the league’s more experienced backup running backs in Jamaal Williams. In the past two games which saw a lower usage of Swift, Williams had 32 carries for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers are also while playing fewer than half of the team’s offensive snaps. With Swift out, Williams should have an opportunity to really take the running game over.

Many called for a breakout sophomore season for St. Brown and, so far, he has delivered. After the first three weeks of the season, St. Brown leads the team in receiving yards with 253. He also ranks in the top-ten of league receivers in receptions (6th with 23), receiving touchdowns (2nd with 3), and receiving yards per game (10th with 84.3). St. Brown has been a dominant favorite target for quarterback Jared Goff and his absence should be a cause for concern.

His absence is even more of a concern since his fellow starting receivers, DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds, were both limited in practice this week with ankle injuries. Both Chark and Reynolds are listed as questionable going into the weekend. With St. Brown out and rookie first-round pick Jameson Williams still awaiting his rookie debut while recovering from a torn ACL, losing Chark and Reynolds would leave Detroit with only Kalif Raymond and Quintez Cephus as healthy pass-catchers. In the unlikely event that Raymond and Cephus are the only two healthy receivers for Week 4, the Lions will likely be forced to use their two practice squad call-ups on any of Tom Kennedy, former USFL-star Maurice Alexander, and undrafted rookie Josh Johnson.

Regardless, of the availability of Chark and Reynolds, the losses of Swift and St. Brown are daunting. The two-game stretch that Detroit could be without Swift consists of two opponents with identical 1-2 records. It’s hard to say that those win-loss totals mean much this early in the season, but the Lions will certainly hope that this is a softer section of their schedule where they’ll potentially be without their lead rusher and receiver.

Lions RB D’Andre Swift Likely To Miss Time

September 26th, 2022 at 3:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

D’Andre Swift has battled an ankle injury throughout the young season, but a new ailment could keep him sidelined. The Lions’ top running back suffered a shoulder sprain during yesterday’s game, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Head coach Dan Campbell indicated that the team may proceed with caution with Swift, resting him for the team’s next two games (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). Detroit’s bye is in Week 6, so that timetable would seemingly give him ample time to recover. It would, however, represent another instance of availability problems for the 23-year-old.

Swift missed three games as a rookie, then four last season. Of note is the fact that the latter absence was caused by a shoulder injury, though this latest one is considered unrelated. When he has been on the field, the former second-rounder has showcased his dual-threat ability and established himself as Detroit’s top running back. With over 1,000 scrimmage yards in 2021, expectations were high for another productive campaign this year.

Things started well for the Georgia product. Swift has averaged an absurd 8.6 yards per carry in the limited opportunities he has had so far (231 yards on 27 carries), adding eight catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. The lingering ankle issues have led to a reduced workload, with veteran Jamaal Williams seeing significant snaps in his place.

Assuming Swift is shut down until Week 7, Williams will be in line for even more carries than they 43 he has already logged this year – which have resulted in a league-leading four rushing touchdowns. Behind him, the Lions have free agent signing Justin Jackson and journeyman Craig Reynolds available as depth. With a healthy pass-catching corps (save for first-round rookie Jameson Williams), Detroit may need to rely more on their air attack for the next few weeks.

What Lions’ RB Depth Means For Roster Spots

July 17th, 2022 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

The 2021 Lions saw injuries nag at their running backs room throughout the season last year and were forced to rely on the backs they had stashed further down on the roster. Coming into the 2022 NFL season, Detroit’s running backs room looks mostly the same, but improving health could leave some contributors from last year as the odd man (or men) out.

There’s obviously no question atop the Lions’ depth chart at running back. Despite his lack of starts last season, D’Andre Swift dominated the position’s snap count totals. He was nearly matched in rushing statistics by the team’s No. 2 back, but Swift played a much more impactful role in the passing game, catching 62 passes for 452 yards and two touchdowns. That No. 2 back was Jamaal Williams, picking up a role he held for four years across the division in Green Bay. Williams rushed for 601 yards, to Swift’s 617, on 153 carries, an amount almost identical to Swift’s 151. While not quite as impactful, Williams was still effective receiving out of the backfield, adding 26 catches for 157 yards.

Swift and Williams are set to return to their roles at the top of the depth chart and, perhaps, improve on them. Swift’s health is paramount to his potential impact. If he can stay on the field, many in Detroit’s camp believe he could be a Pro Bowler after his third year in the league. He’s spent a lot of time with running backs coach Duce Staley analyzing where he can improve, and his first two seasons have proven he is a much more dangerous weapon receiving the ball than anyone saw during his college years. Williams is a great complement to Swift. He’s a tough back with experience to help lead the youthful position group.

Now behind those two, four running backs are left to compete for one or two roster spots. Godwin Igwebuike may have the clearest line to a roster spot. Despite entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent four seasons ago, Igwebuike made his first rush attempt last season. He ended the year with only 18 total carries (though one of those carries was a 42-yard touchdown), but he really made his impact as the Lions’ primary kick returner. His special teams experience gives Igwebuike a bit of an edge over the other three fighting to make the 53-man roster.

Even if Igwebuike’s role as a return man solidifies his job, the Lions entered the 2021 season with four running backs on the roster. If they were to do the same in 2022, Craig Reynolds, Jermar Jefferson, and undrafted rookie Greg Bell would be the ones competing this summer for that final spot.

Reynolds appeared in games with Washington and Jacksonville after going undrafted in 2019, but finally got a chance to show his stuff last season in Detroit. When Swift and Williams were both ruled out for the team’s Week 14 matchup against the Broncos, Reynolds was elevated from the practice squad. After amassing 83 yards on 11 carries, Reynolds was given the opportunity to start the following week versus the Cardinals. Reynolds answered the call with a 112-yard game on 26 carries, helping the Lions beat Arizona as massive underdogs. Reynolds’ role was relegated a bit after the return of Williams, but Detroit still seems to like what he can offer as they gave Reynolds some run with the first-team offense in OTAs this spring.

Despite the opportunities provided by the injuries to Swift and Williams, Jefferson failed to find his way to the field much as a rookie last season. As a freshman in college, Jefferson excelled with 1,380 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. Injuries and COVID-19 limited his production over the next two years, but he still found himself on the Lions’ draft board on May 1st of last year. In order to secure a roster spot, Jefferson is going to have to find a way to contribute as a pass catcher or a pass blocker, roles he didn’t perform much in college. Otherwise, Jefferson may find himself on the outside looking in come September.

Bell took advantage of the extra year of eligibility afforded to college players due to COVID-19 last year and earned himself an opportunity as an undrafted free agent in Detroit. In his final college season, Bell rushed for 1,091 yards and 9 touchdowns on 245 carries. He was virtually non-existent in the passing game for San Diego State, though. He has some impressive rushing tools that force the Lions to keep him in the conversation, but he has a lot of work to do to ensure a spot on the final 53-man roster.

Swift and Williams are cemented in their roles. Igwebuike and Reynolds have shown how they can contribute. Jefferson and Bell are young, promising backs that will attempt to wreak a little havoc in the personnel decisions that face Detroit. They’ll all have lots to prove this summer leading into the regular season.

Lions’ RB D’Andre Swift Out For Week 15

December 17th, 2021 at 5:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

The bad news on the injury front continues for the Lions. After finding out they will be without Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson for the remainder of the season, they learned they will also be without their best running back. The Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett reports that D’Andre Swift will miss his third consecutive game.

Still recovering from a shoulder injury, Swift will sit out the Lions’ game against the Cardinals. In 11 games in 2021, he has posted 555 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 140 carries. He has added 56 catches for 429 yards and another two scores in the air.

One of the key targets for quarterback Jared Goff, Swift’s injury problems have become a significant part of his professional career. After being drafted 35th overall in 2020, he missed three contests as a rookie, to along with four and counting in 2021.

Look for the Lions to continue to rely on rookie Jermar Jefferson, along with veteran Jamaal Williams at the running back position – if the latter is able to clear COVID-19 protocol, which kept him out of Detroit’s last game. Especially without Hockenson, plenty of targets will be available to the wide receiver corps, in particular Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond.

Birkett adds that offensive linemen Jonah Jackson did not practice all week, and is listed as questionable to play on Sunday.

Lions Rule Out D’Andre Swift For Week 13

December 3rd, 2021 at 1:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

FRIDAY: Swift is now officially out for Week 13. The Lions will sit their ascending running back starter against the Vikings. Swift did not take the field during Detroit’s three practices this week.

WEDNESDAY: The Lions might be without their starting running back for an extended period of time. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (via Twitter) that D’Andre Swift‘s injury is a sprained AC joint, and that the team will be cautious with regards to getting him back in the lineup.

Swift had played in every game so far this season, producing 555 yards and four touchdowns on 140 carries, adding another 429 yards and two scores on 56 catches. The Lions, as the NFL’s only winless team, however, will likely not be in any hurry to get the 2020 second-round pick on the field again.

In Swift’s absence, look for Jamaal Williams to take over as the lead back, with Jermar Jefferson getting an increased workload as well. In the passing game, this news likely means more targets for tight end T.J. Hockenson and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond.

The Lions will try again to get into the win column for the first time on Sunday when they host the Vikings.

Lions Rule Out D’Andre Swift

November 26th, 2020 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

D’Andre Swift will not play on Thursday afternoon against the Texans, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Adrian Peterson, who started in Swift’s stead last week, figures to reprise that role while sharing the workload with Kerryon Johnson.

The Lions have held Swift out of practice ever since he suffered a concussion last week. There was some hope that Swift would be able to go for the Lions’ Thanksgiving game, but team doctors did not give him the green light.

Heading into the draft, many praised Swift as the best running back in this year’s class. The Lions weren’t thought to be targeting an RB early, but couldn’t pass up the opportunity to grab the two-time 1,000-yard rusher at No. 35 overall. The Georgia product has seen his workload increase throughout the year, resulting in 331 yards off of 70 carries. Peterson, meanwhile, leads the team with 389 rushing yards.

The Lions will also be without wide receivers Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola today. To fill the gap, they will turn to new addition Mohamed Sanu.

Lions Sign D’Andre Swift

July 5th, 2020 at 1:38pm CST by Zachary Links

D’Andre Swift took to Twitter this weekend to announce the signing of his rookie contract. Per the terms of his slot, the running back out of Georgia will earn $8.5MM over the course of his four-year deal.

Heading into the draft, many praised Swift as the best running back in this year’s class. The Lions weren’t thought to be targeting an RB early, but they seized the opportunity to grab the two-time 1,000-yard rusher at No. 35 overall.

Swift will provide a safety net behind Kerryon Johnson, who suffered injuries in each of his first two seasons. The youngster’s advanced blocking ability may allow him to perform as an every-down back at the next level and there’s reason to believe that he can develop into an adept pass-catcher as well. Swift didn’t post gaudy receiving numbers at UGA, but he’s got a 72-inch wingspan, so the potential is there.

With Swift signed, the Lions now have five of their 2020 rookies officially in the fold. Here’s the full rundown of their class, via PFR’s 2020 NFL Draft Tracker:

1-3: Jeffrey Okudah, CB (Ohio State)
2-35: D’Andre Swift, RB (Georgia): Signed
3-67: Julian Okwara, OLB (Notre Dame): Signed
3-75: Jonah Jackson, G (Ohio State): Signed
4-121: Logan Stenberg, OL (Kentucky): Signed
5-166: Quintez Cephus, WR (Wisconsin)
5-172: Jason Huntley, RB (New Mexico State)
6-197: John Penisini, DT (Utah): Signed
7-235: Jason Cornell, DE (Ohio State)

Lions Select D’Andre Swift At No. 35

April 24th, 2020 at 6:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Kerryon Johnson suffering injuries in his first two seasons, the Lions are adding a high-end reinforcement. They took D’Andre Swift with their second-round pick — No. 35 overall.

Mocked by many as a first-round pick and viewed as one of the top skill-position prospects in this draft, Swift will be a prime candidate to contribute immediately.

Nearly as important as Swift’s college resume — two 1,000-yard rushing seasons, each featuring more than six yards per carry — is the Georgia product’s 513 career touches. That is a rather light load for a running back and could well allow Swift to enjoy a longer NFL career. He will follow the likes of Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel into the league and follows Chubb as an early-second-round pick.

The Lions have struggled on the ground for most of this century, continually deploying sub-average rushing attacks. Detroit has not ranked in the top half of the league in rushing since Barry Sanders‘ 1999 retirement. Johnson, the No. 43 overall pick in 2018, saw his yards-per-carry average plummet from 5.4 as a rookie to 3.6 last season. Johnson has missed 14 games in his first two seasons.

This marks the fourth time since 2011 the Lions have used a second-round pick on a running back. Before Johnson, they drafted Mikel Leshoure in 2011 and Ameer Abdullah in 2015.

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