The Detroit Lions are set on having a much better season in 2026, and the recent work they have done boosting the trenches and the defense in the NFL draft lend to hopes that can be the case.
In order for the Lions to take the next step in the playoffs, they are going to have to see some players emerge and take a step toward stardom. One of those players is running back Jahmyr Gibbs. After trading David Montgomery, the Lions are going to need Gibbs to emerge in an even bigger way this season.
Fortunately, that's just what one analyst is predicting will happen. Kyle Brandt of NFL Network saw where the Lions were picking up the fifth-year option for Gibbs, and shared an opinion that he's going to be involved in the MVP debate this season.
I think Gibbs will be in MVP chatter this year. https://t.co/Gjmop0HHXS
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) April 29, 2026
In recent years, the MVP award has become a popularity contest between quarterbacks. During the last 25 years, only three times has a running back laid claim to the hardware, with Marshall Faulk winning in 2000, LaDanian Tomlinson in 2006 and Adrian Peterson in 2012. That shows exactly what Gibbs is up against.
Gibbs is certainly a unique talent, but he wouldn't be the first player to come up short head-to-head against a quarterback in terms of glamour points. For him to do what Brandt believes and be in the discussion, he is going to have to have a monster impact next season statistically and otherwise.
Dan Campbell's hint at how Lions want to use Gibbs can open MVP door
The Lions have been searching for more ways to get the ball in Gibbs' hands for the last few years, and it culminated with his use last season in more passing formations. While that didn't exactly pay off in terms of an MVP trajectory, the groundwork has been set down
When Gibbs came out of the draft, the Lions looked at him as a dynamic player first and foremost and not a running back. As Dan Campbell explained, all those traits remain in place to be explored and developed.
"We didn't view (Jahmyr) Gibbs as a runner (coming out). He was a weapon. It's a little bit like Jameson (Williams). We didn't necessarily view him as a true receiver. We saw more weaponry. A lot of versatility, things you can do. That's why we felt like Gibbs, this guy is going to explode. Yes, he's a runner. He can run all schemes. He can run inside, outside, pin and pull the perimeters, but also, he can be lethal out of the backfield."
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In terms of maximizing Gibbs and his skillset, Campbell believes the best will be yet to come for the Lions as it relates to seeing an even more dangerous running back statistically and otherwise. Some might believe Gibbs peaked, but it's clear his coaches wouldn't agree with that,
"We're not even there yet. We feel like this guy can play some receiver. We tried to tinker with some stuff last year. He really grew, but I think we're just scratching the surface of some of that. He a mismatch piece and he's dynamic and he's a difference maker. They don't come around often."
In order for Gibbs to work himself into the discussion for an MVP, he's going to have to do exactly what Campbell outlines. Statistically, he's got to be more than just a runner, and make a huge impact across the board in terms of pass catching, touchdowns and playmaking. That would be the way to truthfully open eyes around the league enough to claim this honor.
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