NEWSLETTER
It felt like it was only a matter of time until the Detroit Lions were going to clear up space in their running backs room.
Because two days after shocking draftniks everywhere by drafting Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Detroit sent D’Andre Swift — who was set to be their top returning back — to Philadelphia in a Day 3 deal:
Of course it’s the Eagles getting yet another University of Georgia product. And they’re getting a good one, too.
Swift, 24, ran for just 542 yards last season. But his 5.5 yards per carry average is among the best among running backs. If he can put together a season where he is healthy enough to garner a full workload, he’ll position himself quite nicely atop rushing leaderboards. But to this point of his career, Swift hasn’t been able to stay healthy for a full season. Perhaps that would explain why the Lions brought in two free-agent backs (including ex-Bear David Montgomery) and took the second of two first-round backs on Thursday’s Day 1.
The cost of doing business to acquire Swift was a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft and a fourth in 2025. That isn’t much of a fee, especially when considering Swift’s upside.
