NFL training camp is almost here for the Detroit Lions, and several position groups will be worth watching. One of those groups is a new-look running back group that features the return of Jahmyr Gibbs and the arrival of Isiah Pacheco following David Montgomery’s departure to the Houston Texans this offseason.
While the Lions' running back room will look different this season without the duo of “Sonic” and “Knuckles,” it still has the potential to be among the best in the NFL as Detroit aims to get back to the playoffs.
With that being said, here’s how the Lions running back room stacks up against its NFC North division rivals.
1. Detroit Lions
Even with Montgomery to the Texans, the Lions still have the best running back room in the division. Gibbs enters the 2026 season looking to build off what was a phenomenal third year in the NFL, in which he rushed for 1,223 yards and 13 touchdowns. It was his second consecutive season rushing for 1,000-plus yards with the Lions.
Joining Gibbs as the Lions' No. 2 running back is Isiah Pacheco, who arrives in Detroit after four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. In 13 games last season with the Chiefs, Pacheco rushed for 462 yards and a touchdown. With Gibbs as the Lions' primary back entering this season, how much Detroit utilizes Pacheco remains to be seen.
2. Chicago Bears
Coming in behind the Lions at the No. 2 spot is coach Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears. After what was a miracle 2025 season in year one under Johnson, the Bears are looking to defend their NFC North crown and will continue to rely on the running back tandem of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.
Swift is coming off an impressive season with the Bears in which he recorded 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns. Monangai, a seventh-round draft pick out of Rutgers, took many by surprise last season when he rushed for 783 yards and five touchdowns for the Bears.
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3. Minnesota Vikings
With new quarterback Kyler Murray, the Minnesota Vikings, with an improved offense and dominant defense, have the potential to be one of the NFL’s biggest surprises next season. The team looks to carry the momentum from the strong finish to the 2025 season to the beginning of this year.
Running backs Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason look to play a critical role in the team's quest to reach the NFL playoffs following last season's absence. Last season, the running back tandem of Jones Sr. and Mason rushed for 1,306 yards and eight touchdowns.
4. Green Bay Packers
Pending his legal case, the Packers are likely to be without their top running back, Josh Jacobs, and it could be well into the NFL season. Jacobs is coming off a season in which he rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns.
With Jacobs potentially missing time, the Packers' attention could turn to Chris Brooks, who only rushed for 106 yards last season. The Packers will likely have to rely on their passing game, which had one of the fewest attempts in the NFL last season. Packers quarterback Jordan Love will be put to the test.
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