The 2023 season was a huge success for the Lions’ ground game.
Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, the team’s combination of running backs, racked up an incredible 23 touchdowns and close to 2,000 yards on the ground (1,960). Ninety-five of those yards came from rookie Gibbs, and Montgomery’s first season in Detroit saw him surpass 1,000 yards on the ground (1,015).
With both of them committed through 2024, Detroit’s run game should be well-managed again the following season.
Craig Reynolds, who will serve as Gibbs and Montgomery’s primary backup in 2023, is also likely to return to Motown for a more season.
Let’s look at the running backs who played for the Lions in 2023 and their current contracts.
Jahmyr Gibbs
Signed with Detroit until 2026, Gibbs is a 2023 first-year pro with a cap hit of $4,055,713 in 2024.
His rookie deal has $14,600,568 in guarantees left.
Montgomery, David
The veteran running back has a 2024 cap hit of $6,786,765, and his contract with the organization runs through 2025.
Under the terms of his current contract, which he signed during the summer, he is guaranteed $6,375,000.
Craig Reynolds
Reynolds was the Lions’ starting reserve back for the entirety of the 2023 season. This offseason, he will have “exclusive rights free agency,” which means that unless the organization grants him permission to pursue free agency, he will only be able to negotiate a contract with Detroit.
I think there’s a good chance Reynolds will be wearing a Lions uniform again in 2024 at this point.
Knight of Zonovan
After sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5 versus Carolina, Knight concluded the 2023 campaign on injured reserve.
This past season, Knight, the former running back for the New York Jets, dressed for just two games and managed just three carries for 13 yards.
He will be an exclusive rights free agency this offseason, just like Reynolds.