The Lions should explore trading player that’s having a great camp, but doesn’t fit the roster
Detroit Lions’ running back Jermar Jefferson is having a really good summer. So good that Lions head coach Dan Campbell repeated three times on Friday that he was in a very good place. He even cut off a reporter to say it that third time.
There’s just one problem, does he fit? Right now the Lions have their two top guys in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Then they have Craig Reynolds in that third spot and it’s hard to move past him. The rookie Sione Vaki has looked pretty good out there too and he can do a lot on special teams.
So what can the Lions do? They can make a hard choice and potentially move on from Reynolds, but he’s looked good this summer too. The Lions just traded up future assets to get Vaki. There’s no way they’re cutting him. Plus, like I said earlier, that’s working out.
They can carry five running backs, but that’s a lot. The Lions did carry five into the season in 2021, but one of them was fullback Jason Cabinda. The Lions aren’t carrying a fullback this year, so would they use an extra spot for fifth guy? It seems unlikely.
The next move is to take the risk of cutting him and then hoping they can get him back after clearing waivers and put him on the practice squad, but there’s teams out there that are paying attention to what’s going on around the league and a guy that’s having a good summer could get claimed off waivers by a team that needs depth. Meaning the Lions get nothing out of losing him.
If it all comes down to the Lions seeing him as someone they just can’t find a spot for, a trade to one of those teams looking for running back depth could be the way to go. The Lions aren’t likely to get much, but they could get something. Even if it’s just a day three pick. A sixth-round pick is a huge win for the Lions.
There’s still four weeks of camp left and anything could happen, but right now it’ just hard to make a spot for a fifth running back when you can use that roster spot for another position.
