The Detroit Lions don’t have much drama in their backfield depth chart, returning with one of the best running back duos along with a pair of trusted backups.
But the team could face a difficult decision at the bottom of the depth chart, with an expected battle for the final spot. One insider believes that a former college standout could end up with the short end of the stick.
Lions Need Decision on Final Roster Spot
The Lions have two of the league’s most versatile and explosive running backs in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, with both topping 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2024. The team also has trusted Craig Reynolds as the No. 3, leaving three players vying for the fourth and final spot on the roster.
Jeff Risdon of USA Today’s Lions Wire noted that second-year running back Sione Vaki appears to be in the lead, with former college star and UFL standout Jacob Saylors just below the cut line.
“This job is Sione Vaki’s until proven otherwise, but Vaki missing different parts of camp (and the Falcons preseason game) with different maladies has slowed his seizure,” Risdon wrote. “UFL refugee Jacob Saylors has impressed in camp and looked strong on special teams, which is where Vaki’s bread is buttered.”
Saylors made a name for himself through five seasons with East Tennessee State, finishing his collegiate career with 3,851 rushing yards, 6,058 all-purpose yards, and 33 rushing touchdowns. He was not able to make an NFL roster after college, but found a home with the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks, where he finished second in the league with 499 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Saylors is again struggling, with Risdon suggesting that he’s only hoping for a spot on the practice squad at this point.
“This isn’t really a battle as much as it’s Saylors and newcomer Deon Jackson fighting for the presumptive practice squad spot behind the top four,” Risdon wrote. “They are closer to Vaki on offense than Vaki is to No. 3 RB Craig Reynolds, however.”
Special Teams Will Play a Big Role
The deciding factor for the final running back spot could come down to special teams. The Lions look to the bottom of their roster to contribute to return units, a role that Vaki embraced in his rookie season in 2024.
Saylors appeared in 45% of the team’s offensive snaps in Saturday’s preseason game against the Miami Dolphins along with 30% of the special teams snaps.
Jackson, his primary competition for the final roster spot, got a longer look on special teams as he appeared in 44% of the unit’s snaps. But he appeared in only 10% of the offensive snaps.
Saylors did have an opportunity this summer to get more reps while Vaki was dealing with an injury. As Lions reporter Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network noted, Vaki could have used the time to show the team that he is continuing to develop a running back, a position he just started in college as he started his career as a safety.
“The biggest developmental jump for young players often occurs between their first and second seasons,” Rogers wrote. “For someone like Vaki, who converted from a college safety who dabbled at running back to a full-time offense player after the Lions drafted him in the fourth round a year ago, he needs the reps even more to flatten his steep learning curve.”
