Position by Position: RB
Cap numbers found on overthecap.com, stats and additional information found on espn.com, additional information gathered from the Detroit Lions official X page.
The 2026 off season is here. While 2025 didn’t go as planned, it sounds like both Brad and Dan understand what happened, and have taken accountability. The only thing is to fix it. With that in mind, let’s dive into the running back position.
Jahmyr Gibbs
23 years old - Under contract through 2026 - 5.6 million dollar cap hit in 2026
Jahmyr Gibbs is locked up for one additional season. He is such a special talent it would not surprise me to see Brad try to get a contract done prior to training camp. That would also allow Brad to potentially lower his cap hit by half or more (I’m no cap expert). Jahmyr has come out before and stated that he was not as interested in the money, and loved where he was at. I hope he sticks to this thought as having Jahmyr on a more affordable contract could be exceptionally beneficial to this team.
Jahmyr had no lack of production in 2025:
243 carries, 1,223 yards, 13 touchdowns, 5 yards per carry average
David Montgomery
28 years old - Under contract through 2027 (2028 void year) - 8.4 million dollar cap hit in 2026
David Montgomery is locked up for quite some time. However in both Dan and Brad’s year end press conferences I noticed a consistent theme, undertones that David Montgomery may be gone as he is dissatisfied with his usage. This would truly disappoint me as this is the best 1-2 punch of running backs I recall seeing since becoming a fan of the Lions. However, this would provide additional cap relief and I trust in Brad’s ability to find talent. Hopefully they can all figure something out, but it seems more likely than not that Montgomery will play for another team in 2026.
David had good production in 2025:
158 carries, 716 yards, 8 touchdowns, 4.5 yards per carry average.
Sione Vaki
25 years old - Under contract through 2027 - 1.2 million dollar cap hit in 2026
Sione Vaki has been largely a special teams contributor, and a great one at that, but he has not done much else in my opinion. Coming into the league, I was a huge Vaki person, hoping he would add youth to the RB3 role, and allow us to eventually move on from Craig Reynolds (now no longer a Lion). Now, I am concerned about his durability and running style. If David Montgomery truly is leaving he will have the opportunity to prove my concerns nill, and I hope he does.
Sione had one snap outside of special teams this year, for 4 yards.
Jacob Saylors
25 years old - Free Agent following 2025 season
It remains to be seen if Saylors will be a Lion in 2026. He returned kicks for the Lions and had fair success doing so. His running style seems to me like someone who could slot in and be a little different than Jahmyr Gibbs, however I would prefer more of a power back in that role if Montgomery does leave.
Saylors had 2 carries for 11 yards in 2025.
Moving Forward
In my perspective, the offseason needs to be approached carefully and strategically in order to ensure productivity in the run game, but also minimize cap waste and prevent injuries. I would like to see the Lions add a power back in free agency that can be a change of pace back, and at very minimum add a young developmental project late in the draft.
Despite the chance of a shakeup in the running back room, I still think the future is bright with Gibbs leading the way.