Here's who will replace Detroit Lions RB David Montgomery, leading with Jahmyr Gibbs

Story by

Story by
Here's who will replace Detroit Lions RB David Montgomery, leading with Jahmyr Gibbs

Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press · Detroit Free Press

Mon, Dec 16, 2024 ·

3 min read

Lions RBs: Who will replace David Montgomery

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs for a touchdown against Buffalo Bills safety Kareem Jackson (27) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024.

Jahmyr Gibbswill be the next man up in place of Montgomery. He becomes the featured running back of the offense, as he was in the second half against Buffalo. Gibbs, the No. 12 overall pick in 2023 out of Alabama, was on the field for 59 of Detroit's 79 offensive snaps (75%) with a higher percentage in the second half. He finished with eight rushes for 31 yards, five catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns.

Gibbs has consistently split time with Montgomery since both joined the Lions during the 2023 offseason. Gibbs, the former No. 12 overall pick, leads Detroit with 1,047 rushing yards with 11 rushing touchdowns and has added 395 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver.

Together, the two formed one of the most powerful running back duos in modern NFL history and took on the video game nickname of "Sonic and Knuckles." The two shared a relatively equal workload (185 carries for Montgomery, 186 for Gibbs) as runners for an offense that currently ranks sixth in the NFL in rushing (143.7 rushing yards per game) after yesterday's season-low output of 48 yards.

Across 29 regular season games and three playoff games, Gibbs has accounted for 2,941 total all-purpose yards (2,136 rushing and 805 receiving) as an explosive pop in Detroit's offense that leads the league in scoring.

Behind Gibbs, the Lions will rely on running backs Craig Reynoldsand rookie Sione Vakito handle any extra snaps in place of Montgomery.

Reynolds is a six-year NFL veteran who joined the Lions in 2021 as a backup option in the backfield and special teams contributor. In 2024, he has 12 carries for 51 yards, mostly in garbage time, and 562 yards on 131 carries in four years as a Lion.

The Lions traded up to draft Vaki in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. He has only carried it six times for 14 yards during mop-up duty in blowout wins but has become a standout contributor in nearly every phase of special teams . Vaki primarily played safety in college but played both ways as a senior, and Detroit took a shot on his ability as a playmaker on offense, while also enjoying his physicality from defense on kick coverages.

What Lions will miss without David Montgomery

Montgomery joined Detroit as a free agent on a three-year deal during the 2023 offseason. He signed a two-year extension this past October that'll keep him a Lion through the 2027 season.

Montgomery was a tone-setter in the backfield who'll be missed in the final three games of the regular season and in the NFL playoffs.

He finished 2024 with 775 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 185 carries as the starter who split snaps with Gibbs. His physical running style and ability to shed tackles will be missed, but the Lions still have a running back with the ability to hit home runs in Gibbs.

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press . Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22 , and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.