The Detroit Lions surprised the NFL community when they reached for Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 pick. We can argue about the wisdom of that pick (it wasn’t wise), but it’s done and Gibbs is a Lion now. That means that D’Andre Smith is No. 3 on the depth chart and behind Gibbs, who will serve in a similar role as Swift.
Swift has had trouble staying on the field due to injuries and we know how head coach Dan Campbell feels about players who miss a lot of time with injuries. He gets rid of them. He got rid of cornerback Jeff Okudah due to injuries and now it appears Swift is heading out the door.
Sources: The #Lions are receiving trade calls on running back D’Andre Swift, whose representatives have been in contact with the team about potentially moving to a new team. With Detroit drafting Jahmyr Gibbs, the talented Swift appears poised to leave Detroit. pic.twitter.com/Rkf16dylaL
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 28, 2023
Swift sees the writing on the wall and wants out, while the Lions don’t seem that interested in keeping him around. GM Brad Holmes didn’t come right out and say it, but he knows Swift is done with the team:
He’s still on our roster. He’s still part of our team. He’s still under contract with us. He’s a dynamic football player. It hasn’t really changed the math there yet. But it’s early.
Sure, he says he’s a dynamic football player and that he’s technically on the team still, but it’s not that hard to read between the lines here. The team let Jamaal Williams walk, but brought in David Montgomery and now Gibbs. They’ve moved on.
Best landing spots for D’Andre Swift
There will be plenty of teams interested in Swift, as he truly is a dynamic playmaker when healthy. We saw that in Week 1 last season against the Eagles. He rushed 15 times for 144 yards and a touchdown and added 31 yards on three receptions. It was an amazing start to the year, but a tweaked ankle slowed him down a bit, and then more injuries started to pile up.
Detroit isn’t going to get a big haul for Swift, but during the draft would be a good time to trade him. Teams are looking to deal and some have draft picks to spare.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals pop up as possibilities due to need, while the Broncos need help with Javonte Williams coming off injury. The Browns may be in the market if they don’t re-sign Kareem Hunt, while the Dolphins collect running backs.
The Saints could be in the market, especially if Alvin Kamara misses time due to a suspension. Of course, these teams can also fill their needs in this year’s draft and have the back they want for a longer time on a rookie deal.
Swift is worth the risk in signing him and hoping he stays healthy, but I doubt the team that does that will need to give up much in the process.