A day after landing a new center, the Lions have plugged another hole on their offense. Detroit has agreed to a deal with free agent running back Isiah Pacheco, per NFL Network.
A two-time Super Bowl winner with the Chiefs, Pacheco will fill the void left by David Montgomery, who was recently traded to the Texans. Pacheco, like Montgomery, is a hard-charging runner at 5'10, 215 pounds who will serve in a complementary role to Jahmyr Gibbs. He plays with violence and is reliable in pass protection. The move doesn't come without concerns, though.
Pacheco was highly effective in his first two seasons with the Chiefs, totaling over 2,100 scrimmage yards and averaging 4.7 yards per carry. But he slowed down the past two seasons as Kansas City's offense did the same. Pacheco averaged 3.9 yards per carry in 12 games last season, missing time late in the year due to a knee injury after missing most of 2024 with a broken leg.
By any measure, Pacheco is coming off a down season. He was the second lowest-graded running back in the NFL by PFF, out of 58 qualified players, and he rushed for minus-48 yards above expected, per Next Gen Stats. He forced just 13 missed tackles, second to last among backs with at least 100 carries.
Montgomery, who averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season, ranked 21st among running backs, per PFF. He rushed for 125 yards above expected, and forced 29 missed tackles.
If there's a positive here, Pacheco should have more tread on the tire. He's just four years into his career and has logged about 900 fewer carries than Montgomery, who's entering year eight. But Pacheco has not been trending in the right direction since fracturing his fibula early in the 2024 season.
The hope for the Lions is that reinserting him into an explosive offense will tap back into his abilities.