Jahmyr Gibbs and Isaiah Pacheco Are Set, but RB3 Is Anyone’s Game
Training camp opens in less than a week, and while most of the depth chart feels settled, the battle for the third running back spot is wide open. Jahmyr Gibbs is the undisputed RB1. Isaiah Pacheco was one of Brad Holmes’ bigger free agent signings this offseason. Those two are locked in. Nobody in this competition is threatening them.
But the RB3 role matters more than you’d think. Not because of offensive snaps. If the Gibbs-David Montgomery model from previous seasons tells us anything, it’s that the third running back doesn’t get many touches. That makes this competition about one thing: how much can you do for this team outside of the backfield?
Sione Vaki Is the Favorite, and It’s All About Special Teams
A lot of people already have Sione Vaki penciled in as the RB3. They’re probably right. But you need to understand why.
It’s not because of what he does as a running back. Go back and watch all of the Lions’ special teams film from last season. Vaki shows up everywhere. He’s a tackle machine on coverage units, and he’s one of the best special teams players in the league. Period.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: the Lions should see what Vaki has at safety. I don’t think he’s a running back in the NFL, and that’s fine. But before he gets too old, Detroit might want to explore that. They won’t. They’re going to keep him at running back and lean on that special teams role. Frankly, that might be enough to guarantee him a roster spot no matter what.
If he adds kick return ability on top of what he already provides as a tackler and coverage player, it makes him nearly untouchable on this roster.
Jacob Saylors Brings Return Game Value
Jacob Saylors was a productive running back in the UFL before joining the Lions last season as their kick returner. He didn’t bust out any huge plays, but he was a fine returner. Detroit had one of the better starting field position marks in the NFL last season, and Saylors contributed to that.
The challenge for Saylors is competition. The Lions might consider Tom Kennedy or Dominic Lovett for kick return duties. Vaki could get some looks there too. Saylors needs to prove he can give the Lions more than one thing, because roster spots at running back are tight.
Jabari Small Has Something to Prove
I’m a bit surprised the Lions brought Jabari Small back. We didn’t see a whole lot from him last season. What we did see looked like a training camp running back and a preseason running back. Nothing from his reps last year made you say this guy is going to earn a 53-man roster spot.
That said, I don’t think the RB3 spot is set in stone for anyone. If Small comes out this summer and shows what he can do on special teams, blows things up in the preseason, and earns some first or second team reps, you never know.
Kai Robichaux Is the Wild Card
We genuinely don’t know what Robichaux looks like at this level. He got hurt early in camp last year, missed the entire season, and the Lions are giving the undrafted free agent another shot because they clearly felt he had something worth developing. He played well in college. Now he has a chance to outshine Vaki, Small, and Saylors. If he can do it, he’d be the kind of hidden gem that everybody loves finding during camp.
The Pick
If I have to choose who wins this battle right now, I’m going with Vaki. He’s such a good special teams player, and that makes a world of difference for a roster spot at this position. Good special teams contributors are valued in Detroit, and Vaki is one of the best in the league at it. He’s going to be locked in for the Lions for a while.
But I still think they should make him a safety.
So who’s your pick for RB3, or are you still convinced this team should’ve kept Montgomery? Drop your take below.
