Chicago Bears: Ranking NFC North running back groups
By Ryan Heckman
3. Detroit Lions
Despite being a die-hard Bears fan, I love what the Lions have in the back field right now. The main reason they are only number three is due to the fact that their pairing has yet to accomplish much in the NFL.
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Detroit’s starter, at the moment, is third year back Kerryon Johnson out of Auburn. The former second rounder has appeared in 18 games over his first two seasons due to a few injuries, but when healthy, he is more than solid.
In those 18 games, Johnson has rushed for 1,044 yards on 231 carries and scored six rushing touchdowns. He’s also caught a decent amount of passes (42) for 340 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
When you watch Johnson play, it’s clear he can do it all. If anything, he should remain a steady part of the Lions’ offense, even as a future backup.
Detroit drafted what some might call the best running back in this year’s draft, D’Andre Swift out of Georgia. Talk about a do-it-all running back, that’s exactly what Swift brings to the table.
In three seasons with the Bulldogs, Swift rushed for 2,885 yards and caught 73 passes for 666 yards. He scored a total of 25 touchdowns, and doing all of this while typically sharing some of the touches with other backs. That’s just how Georgia operates.
If Swift pans out to be as good as most think he is, the Lions’ back field will have quite the duo going forward.