Getty In an unexpected turn of events, a former Detroit Lions starter is signing with a rival and will be back in the NFC North.
The Detroit Lions had one of the NFL’s most successful rushing attacks last season, pairing Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in an electric and highly effective combination.
While the Lions are set at the top of their depth chart, the team could have some tough competition for the final roster spots this summer with even a successful rookie potentially landing on the wrong side of the roster bubble. SI.com’s Vito Chirco predicted that the final roster spot will come down to two undrafted rookies, both of whom come with a strong resume.
Tough Competition for Lions Backfield
Chirco predicted that the Lions would keep two returning running backs, Sione Vaki and Craig Reynolds, along with Gibbs and Montgomery. The pair proved to be valuable roster additions last season, with Vaki earning praise from the coaching staff for the promise he showed.
“Vaki, a fourth-round pick of the Lions a year ago, suited up for 16 games as a rookie,” Chirco wrote. “He contributed 14 rushing yards and 37 reception yards on six carries and three catches, respectively. He also added eight tackles and a forced fumble on 310 special teams snaps.”
Reynolds has also become a favorite of the team’s coaching staff, appearing in 48 games since joining the team in 2021 and contributing in both the rushing and passing games. Both he and Vaki are also regulars on special teams, giving them both greater value to the roster.
That leaves the final roster spot between undrafted rookies Anthony Tyus III and Kye Robichaux, Chirco wrote, with Tyus expected to earn the final roster spot for the backfield.
“As for Robichaux, he spent his first two seasons at Western Kentucky followed by his final two at Boston College. In his final campaign with the Eagles, he recorded 744 yards and 10 touchdowns on 175 carries,” Chirco wrote. “At this present juncture, I believe that Tyus is ahead of Robichaux on the team’s RB depth chart.”
While Robichaux could still be a candidate for the practice squad, he will need to stand out among a crowded and talented group of running backs.
Kye Robichaux Earns Praise
Robichaux could still make a strong bid for a roster spot, adding a needed power element to the backfield. As SI.com’s Emmett Matasovsky noted, the 5-foot-11, 209-pound running back “packs a punch for his size” and was known for embracing contact in college.
That could give the Lions an important edge in goal-line situations, Matasovsky added.
“This segways into his next strength, his ability to finish at the goal line,” he wrote. “Robichaux scored six of his seven touchdowns in 2023 came from inside the five-yard line. Robichaux was an excellent short yardage option, and that was his role with the Eagles in both of his seasons.”
There could be more opportunity for Robichaux as the Lions have moved away from keeping a dedicated fullback on the roster. The team utilized linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez as a fullback or flexed a tight end into the backfield at times, but have not kept a fullback on the roster since Jason Cabinda in 2023.
