All Lions: Does Kerryon Johnson or D'Andre Swift Get More Snaps in 2020?
Look out, Kerryon Johnson. You've got some competition for yourself in the Lions' backfield heading into the 2020 season.
That competition comes in the form of Georgia product D'Andre Swift, Detroit's second-round pick in this past April's NFL Draft.
In three seasons with the Bulldogs, Swift rushed for 20 touchdowns and 2,885 yards in 43 games.
As NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote prior to the draft,
"Swift possesses the play traits and running style of a skillful NFL veteran and is the latest in an avalanche of talented Georgia backs. Tempo and decisiveness are his calling cards, making him a highly talented inside/outside zone runner. He's a cerebral runner who understands block timing and uses quick-cut agility and rare spatial awareness to read and react to defenses beyond the second level."
He enters a Detroit running backs room that is led by Johnson, a third-year back who has so far failed to stay healthy for a full NFL season.
As Kent Lee Platte of Pride of Detroit writes, it makes for one of the six biggest storylines heading into Lions training camp later this summer.
"Health problems have plagued Johnson since he was drafted in 2018. So, while his roster spot is likely not in jeopardy, his starting job surely is," Platte said. "How the team hands out snaps is even more interesting once you consider the serious injury issues the entire roster has had at that position. Do they limit snaps to just the two guys or spread it out between three or four, trying to play the numbers and potentially reduce the chances someone gets injured (yet again)?"
How the snaps are divvied up between Johnson and Swift certainly will be an interesting storyline to watch as training camp progresses.
And Swift, with a good camp and exhibition season, could end up slicing significantly into the snaps Johnson grew accustomed to the past two seasons.
Let's take a look now at some more trending Lions stories from around the web on Monday, June 29:
- Neal Driscoll of Pro Football Network takes quarterback Matthew Stafford's successor in the first round of his 2021 NFL mock draft.
- DetroitLions.com senior writer Tim Twentyman dives into why being "multiple" on defense is so important to Detroit head man Matt Patricia.
- USA Today Lions Wire's Erik Schlitt ranks the defenses that the Lions will square off with in 2020.
- MLive.com Lions beat writer Benjamin Raven takes a look at the top 10 receiving yards leaders in franchise history.
Related
Did Matthew Stafford "Pad" His Stats in 2019?
3 College Linebackers Lions Should Keep an Eye On
Poll: Can Matthew Stafford Remain Healthy for All 16 Games?
Season Preview: Lions vs. Bears
