The Lions don’t need to tinker with their run game. It’s already one of the best in the league. Jahmyr Gibbs is a star (Sonic). David Montgomery is the punisher (Knuckles). Hence, the adorable "Sonic and Knuckles" nickname. Behind them, the depth is solid with Craig Reynolds holding steady and Sione Vaki pushing for more snaps.
Related: NFL analyst offers a curious take on Jahmyr Gibbs' long-term future with Lions
But depth doesn’t stay static, especially in July. Just ask Anthony Tyus III, who was already released with a non-football illness designation.
Tyus' release quietly opened the door for Detroit to bring in another camp body. They went with Jabari Small, a familiar name to quarterback Hendon Hooker and a former SEC back who flashed at Tennessee. The timing of the move is what made it notable. Small was signed just months after the team added Kye Robichaux as a UDFA, and less than a week before training camp.
Both are now locked into what amounts to a camp duel for the last chair in the RB room (if things go really well)—or more likely, a practice squad role.
On the surface, it’s an afterthought. But when the Lions are this deep and this intentional about roster construction, even the fourth or fifth running back matters.
Lions have a real battle brewing at the back of the depth chart
Robichaux isn’t flashy, but there’s nothing soft about his game. He’s got a frame built for downhill running and short-yardage spots, and he made a habit of finishing drives at Boston College. He's built like a fire hydrant and proved capable enough in pass protection to be more than a situational hammer. If nothing else, he brings a defined role.
Small’s game is a bit different. He’s a little lighter but has more shake and was pretty productive for four years in the SEC. He knows how to follow blocks, stay patient, and sneak through tight creases—traits that will stand out in preseason if the blocking is even average. He also protected well in college and has been viewed as a willing special teamer, which matters when you’re fighting for a spot without a defined role. His link to Hooker won’t get him a job, but it might help him settle in faster.
There’s no mystery here. Reynolds and Vaki are the favorites for RB3 and RB4. Everyone else is fighting to survive the cut. Small and Robichaux both bring enough to stay in the building if they show up when it counts, but there’s not room for both. Someone’s getting iced out.
For now, this is the kind of camp battle that barely registers until it suddenly does. The Lions didn’t sign Small and give Robichaux a look for the fun of it. They saw a chance to create real competition at the backend of the depth chart. The only thing left is to see how it shakes out.