With the Lions having signed David Montgomery and holding nine picks in the draft, including four in the first two rounds, could they move on from D'Andre Swift?
Longtime NFL Draft analyst Charlie Campbell reported this week that "teams have been calling Detroit to see if Swift is available" on the heels of the Montgomery signing. Campbell says Swift is a "player to watch" in the draft, which kicks off Thursday night.
A second-round pick in 2020, Swift has had a hard time staying on the field for the Lions due to injuries. He's entering his contract season, which could well be his last in Detroit. The current regime led by Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell is not the one that drafted him.
Question is, what's Swift's value in a trade compared to his value to the Lions' offense? Campbell says "teams probably won't be willing to give up anything more than a mid-round pick" for Swift, who averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season but was limited by ankle and shoulder injuries. He's missed 10 games over three seasons.
Still, Campbell says "some teams are interested in making a deal for" Swift, given what he can do when healthy. Despite his injuries, he's approached or exceeded 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first three seasons.
If the Lions decide to add a running back with one of their many picks in the draft, Swift could be an expendable asset.
Related
Listen live to 97.1 The Ticket via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker