The Detroit Lions’ backup running back situation is officially a curveball, with Isiah Pacheco, their big offseason signing, landing on injured reserve with a back injury last week. That’s brutal, because it means he’s out for at least the first four games, leaving the Lions scrambling for someone new to back up Jahmyr Gibbs. This isn’t just a bump in the road; it’s a huge question mark for an offense that relies heavily on its ground game early in the season.
Jacob Saylors’ Preseason Domination vs. The Coach’s Focus
So, who steps up? The Lions’ roster behind Gibbs currently lists two options: 2024 fourth-round pick Sione Vaki and last year’s UFL pickup, Jacob Saylors. Saylors, man, he put on a show in the preseason! He only carried the ball twice for the Lions last year, but this preseason? He took the majority of carries and absolutely ate, finishing with 187 rushing yards on just 31 carries. That’s an insane 6.0 yards per carry, good for second-most rushing yards in the entire NFL preseason. You’d think that makes him the clear frontrunner, right? But then there’s Vaki, who has battled injuries for much of his career and moved from safety in college, stunting his development at running back.
Coach Campbell’s Unexpected Endorsement
Here’s where it gets wild. Lions coach Dan Campbell was asked specifically about Saylors and his incredible rise from the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks. And what did Campbell do? He spent most of his answer talking about how excited he is to see Vaki play! He totally went there. “It’s about committee, too,” Campbell said. “I see Vaki getting some reps, too, now. I don’t see, ‘Okay, Saylors is like running back two.’” He acknowledged Saylors’ special teams value and that they’ve “seen more of him than Vaki in games, preseason games.” But then he pivoted hard: “Vaki’s banked some pretty good reps in practice, and we know Vaki’s a very valuable special teams player, too. But we feel like Vaki’s ready to take some of this on, too, as a runner and as a pass protector and a receiver. So we feel good about either one of those guys in there when Jah [Gibbs] needs a breather.” While it’s technically a committee, that sounded like a massive endorsement for Vaki as the primary backup, especially considering the question was about Saylors!
The High-Stakes Bet on Vaki’s Raw Potential
This push for Vaki? It feels like a calculated risk, no doubt. Campbell himself admitted early this offseason that Vaki is still “a little raw” at the position, despite being in year three since his college position switch. “He hasn’t played running back, not that much, and a lot of it is injury,” Campbell said during minicamp. And those injuries kept coming, unfortunately. Vaki missed over a week of training camp with a broken nose and eye injury, meaning he didn’t get any preseason play. However, he’s been getting a ton of recent work in training camp, regularly repping immediately behind Gibbs with Pacheco sidelined. It’s a huge bet on potential over proven preseason performance. When the season kicks off, we’re gonna find out if Campbell’s gut feeling about Vaki pays off, or if Saylors eventually demands more snaps than the coach is currently hinting at.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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