The Detroit Lions have crafted a successful formula in recent years, prompting other NFL teams to try to replicate their success this offseason.<\/p>\n
While the Lions\u2019 playoff run didn\u2019t unfold as they hoped, the 2024 season still held plenty of positives. Specifically, the Lions\u2019 backfield performed exceptionally well.<\/p>\n
Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery took turns dominating defenses, leading to Detroit averaging 146.4 rushing yards per game (6th) and 4.7 yards per carry (T-6th).<\/p>\n
The Lions proved that having two top-tier running backs is a viable strategy.<\/p>\n
Now, it seems other NFL teams are looking to follow Dan Campbell\u2019s lead and adopt a similar approach this offseason.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Reese’s Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy shared that the Lions\u2019 Gibbs-Montgomery tandem has inspired many teams in the league to follow their lead.<\/p>\n
“Everyone in the (NFL) is trying to get where Detroit is,” Nagy said, (h\/t The Draft Network).<\/p>\n
The Lions’ decision to draft Gibbs 12th overall in the 2023 NFL draft surprised some people.<\/p>\n
Selecting an RB early in the first round can sometimes backfire, and many Detroit fans questioned whether the team would regret the move.<\/p>\n
However, it only took two seasons for Gibbs to silence the doubters.<\/p>\n
The former Alabama standout led the NFL with 20 scrimmage touchdowns in 2024, amassing 1,412 rushing yards on 250 carries and 517 receiving yards on 52 catches.<\/p>\n
Only Saquon Barkley (2,283) and Derrick Henry (2,114) posted more scrimmage yards than Gibbs (1,929), solidifying him as one of the league’s best running backs.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the 22-year-old earned a second consecutive Pro Bowl selection for his outstanding performance.<\/p>\n
Gibbs also benefitted from Montgomery’s presence, allowing him to rest when needed.<\/p>\n
Montgomery continued to impress in his second year in Detroit, surpassing 1,000 scrimmage yards for the sixth consecutive season and scoring 12 touchdowns in 14 games.<\/p>\n
After signing Montgomery to an $18.25 million extension in October, the Lions are set with both him and Gibbs under contract through 2027 (pending the fifth-year option).<\/p>\n
Unless there\u2019s a significant decline, this dynamic duo will ensure that Detroit boasts one of the top backfields for years to come.<\/p>\n
Now, the challenge is whether any other teams can successfully emulate the Lions’ approach. Few franchises have one game-changing RB, let alone two.<\/p>\n
The Lions should be proud that their roster construction is viewed as a model of success by the rest of the league.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Detroit Lions have crafted a successful formula in recent years, prompting other NFL teams to try to replicate their success this offseason. While the Lions\u2019 playoff run didn\u2019t unfold as they hoped, the 2024 season still held plenty of positives. Specifically, the Lions\u2019 backfield performed exceptionally well. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[378],"tags":[2198,2056],"class_list":["post-22622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-detroit-lions","tag-david-montgomery","tag-jahmyr-gibbs"],"yoast_head":"\n