NFL Player News

Montgomery has new competition in the backfield after Detroit drafted RB Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall Thursday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Birkett, along with many others, expects D'Andre Swift to be the odd man out in the Detroit backfield, given that Swift has one year remaining on his contract and has struggled to stay healthy throughout his pro career. Montgomery joined the Lions in March on a three-year, $18 million contract with $8.75 million guaranteed at signing, including his $1.25 base salary for 2023 and $3 million of his $5.25 million salary for 2024. He thus figures to be under contract for at least two years, and while Detroit's backfield looks crowded at the moment, Montgomery could end up with a workload split around 50/50 as the thunder to Gibbs' lightning if/when the Lions move on from Swift. To that end, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Friday morning that the Lions are already receiving trade calls for Swift.

Allgeier will be joined by No. 8 overall draft pick Bijan Robinson in the Atlanta backfield, The Athletic's Josh Kendall reports.

A fifth-rounder last spring, Allgeier set the team rookie rushing record with 1,035 yards but will have a hard time matching that number while competing for carries with one of the best RB prospects of the past decade. Robinson's combine weight (215) was just five pounds shy of Allgeier's listed weight, and the rookie ran a much faster 40-yard dash (4.46 compared to 4.60) than his new backfield mate. The two players had similar production their final two collegiate seasons, but Robinson did it at a younger age against tougher competition and with far more receiving production to boot. Allgeier may thus be reduced to a backup role as soon as Week 1, and at best he'll be splitting work in a backfield where 32-year-old Cordarrelle Patterson is also under contract and could get some touches. Even in Arthur Smith's run-heavy offense, Allgeier probably won't get enough work to be a fantasy starter if Robinson stays healthy.

The Lions have received inquiries about trading Swift in the wake of the team selecting Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

General manager Brad Holmes said Thursday that Swift is "still a part of our team," adding that "it is early," per Jeff Risdon of USA Today. The fact remains the team saw fit to spend a high first-round pick on a capable pass-catching back in Gibbs, after already having signed David Montgomery to a three-year, $18 million contract this offseason. It doesn't take much reading between the lines to see that Swift could be on the way out. A dynamic playmaker in his own right, durability concerns have limited Swift's upside with the Lions, as he missed at least three games in each of his three seasons with the team. It's possible, though, that another team could be intrigued enough by Swift's flashes to take a chance on him and be willing to part with more than a late-round pick in exchange for the young runner. For fantasy purposes, a chance of scenery would likely only boost Swift's stock with Gibbs now in the Lions' backfield mix.

The Lions selected Gibbs in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 12th overall.

Backfield depth is nice, but with David Montgomery signed in free agency it's difficult to see how the Lions could make room for both Gibbs and D'Andre Swift in the remaining reps. Gibbs (5-foot-9, 199 pounds) is one of the most talented pass catchers the NFL is likely to see at the running back position, and with 4.36 speed the Alabama/Georgia Tech product is a threat to go the distance from any part of the field. In short, Gibbs is the kind of talent you make room for, and it's just about impossible to imagine the Lions leaving him on the bench very much. While his light frame makes Gibbs unlikely to log many 20-carry games, his pass-catching ability should make him a fantasy standout even on modest rushing volume.

The Falcons selected Robinson in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, eighth overall.

Robinson (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) is the highest running back selection since Saquon Barkley went fifth in 2018. Like Barkley, Robinson is expected to be a three-down workhorse and a standout pass-catching threat, a setup that should allow him to become one of the top fantasy running backs in a hurry. Tyler Allgeier might be overqualified as a backup runner with Robinson now in Atlanta, but talent like Robinson's demands the first and second opportunity. With 4.46 speed and an exceptionally productive collegiate career to his credit, the former Texas back seems like a potential star at the position.

Jets coach Robert Saleh told reporters earlier in April that Hall (knee) "looks fantastic" as he continues his injury rehab process, ESPN.com's Rich Cimini reports.

The report notes that Hall is expected to be ready for Week 1, though Saleh didn't mention any specific timeline while briefly commenting on the running back. Saleh did say he expects a rebound season from 2020 fourth-round pick Michael Carter, who mostly failed to take advantage of Hall's absence after the rookie second-round pick suffered an ACL tear in October. Prior to the injury, Hall rapidly emerged as one of the more explosive runners in the league, averaging 5.8 yards on 80 carries and 11.5 yards on 19 receptions in six and a half games. The optimism regarding his rehab timeline is partially due to youth and partially because there wasn't any other serious damage accompanying the ACL tear, with a minor meniscus injury representing the only other issue in his affected knee. Still, Hall isn't likely to participate in spring practices and may be eased into training camp.

McBride worked out for NFL scouts Friday, after missing the 2023 Combine and UAB's Pro Day with a hamstring injury, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

While he may not have times for the drills -- or at least they may not be reported --- McBride has now shown NFL teams he's healthy the week before the draft. Listed at a sturdy 5-foot-11, 215 pounds, the 21-year-old ran for 3,084 yards and 32 touchdowns his final two seasons at UAB, albeit against shaky competition in Conference USA and with a glaring lack of receiving production (five career catches). Still, the pure running ability could be enough to warrant a Day 2 selection, and at worst McBride figures to hear his name called at some point Day 3.

Broncos GM George Paton reiterated Thursday that he isn't sure when Williams (knee) will be ready for games but does know it will be at some point in 2023, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Paton made similar comments in late March, responding, " we won't know that for a while," when a reporter asked him if Williams would be ready for Week 1. The 2021 second-round pick is rehabbing multiple ligament tears in his right knee, including an ACL, and the Broncos don't have much experience in their backfield beyond Williams and new addition Samaje Perine. Paton thus acknowledged the possibility of the team drafting a running back, though Denver's lack of capital (no picks in the first or second round) means anyone they add might not represent serious competition for Williams/Perine.

Chiefs GM Brett Veach said Thursday that he'll talk with McKinnon after the NFL Draft, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reports. "He's certainly a guy that we love," Veach said. "Jerick likes to take his time and make sure he's ready to go."

The Chiefs currently have only three running backs on their roster and seemingly will consider re-signing McKinnon if the soon-to-be 32-year-old wants to play another season. While he doesn't offer much in terms of elusiveness or explosiveness at this point in his career, McKinnon's reliable hands and firm grasp of the KC offense made him the preferred option on passing downs for part of 2021 and most of 2022. He parlayed the role into a 56-512-9 receiving line, albeit with only 72-291-1 on the ground while Isiah Pacheco handled a majority of the carries. Apart from Pacheco, the Chiefs have Clyde Edwards-Helaire and La'Mical Perine under contract ahead of the draft.

Chiefs GM Brett Veach said Thursday that the team will wait until after the NFL Draft to make a decision on Edwards-Helaire's fifth-year option, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.

It's possible the Chiefs have already made a decision internally, as it seems unlikely they'd pick up the option after the 2020 first-round pick missed 14 regular-season games the past two years and saw his role diminished even when healthy in 2022. That doesn't mean Edwards-Helaire can't be part of the team's backfield plan for 2023, but it does mean the Chiefs are unlikely to guarantee him a $5.46 million salary for 2024. The fifth-year-option deadline for 2020 first-rounders is May 3, four days after the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft.