2020 NFL Draft: How D’Andre Swift impacts Detroit Lions’ roster

The Detroit Lions rolled the dice in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft and opted to pick Georgia running back D’Andre Swift. Here’s what the Lions’ running back room will look like:

Player selected: D’Andre Swift

Position: RB

Current players on roster at RB:

• Tra Carson
• Wes Hills
• Kerryon Johnson
• Ty Johnson
• Bo Scarbrough

Offseason losses at RB:

• J.D. McKissic

Impact:

It was a move not foreseen by many, myself included, but it will certainly improve a running back group that struggled in 2019. Kerryon Johnson was supposed to be the focal point of the offense entering last season, but a knee injury derailed his year. Now, the Kerryon Johnson era is over — or on the back-burner, at least. Swift and Johnson will fight for a starting role in 2020, but we could also see a split of carries between the two.

Elsewhere at the running back position, the Lions turned to Bo Scarbrough when additional injuries took a toll late in the season, and he put together a solid campaign to close the year. Many people expected him to be the thunder to Kerryon’s lightning, but with Swift in the mix, Scarborough might be relegated to a goal line role — or no role at all.

Ty Johnson added an element of speed to the roster, but contributed minimally in 2019. Tra Carson and Wes Hills, meanwhile, were shuffled on and off the roster, and figure to be on the roster bubble going forward.

The addition of Swift will give the Lions another talented running back option, especially given his pass catching skills. The Lions have wanted to run the ball for years now, and Swift can certainly do that well.