Dan Campbell Reveals Why RB Jermar Jefferson Has Not Played Yet

Running back Jermar Jefferson was a seventh-round draft pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

For running back Jermar Jefferson, playing time during his rookie season has been hard to come by. 

Playing behind Jamaal Williams and D'Andre Swift has meant that Detroit's 2021 seventh-round draft pick has been inactive on most gamedays. 

But, don't assume that Jefferson is taking his current position on the Lions' depth chart lightly. 

In fact, Jefferson has been willing to talk to running backs coach Duce Staley about doing everything possible to get on the field. 

"You want him to be upset. That’s just how I see it. I want him mad. I want him angry. I want him in my office at 6 a.m. I want him in my office at 6 p.m. wondering why," Staley explained to reporters a couple of weeks ago. "Because that tells me that it means a lot to him, he loves it and he wants to go out on the field and prove who he is."

Detroit Lions

With Detroit fielding such a young roster and battling a wave of injuries, head coach Dan Campbell was asked during his latest media session how he has decided which young players are in need of more game reps. 

“Look, we’re looking at everybody. Look, we’d love to find a way to get (Jermar) Jefferson into the game," Campbell replied. "We think he’s a kid that, man, you’d love to get him some real game-time experience. The hard thing right now is getting into the game, because special teams is where he’s got to be able to help us first and he’s not quite there."

"He has been knocking on the door. He has been a little angry, a little standoffish, which is cool. I can deal with that," Staley said. "That means he wants to play."

Special teams contributions are the typical pathways for younger players lower on the depth chart to see the field.

Godwin Igwebuike, who is also higher on the running backs depth chart than Jefferson, has seen the bulk of his snaps on special teams this season. 

“That’s number one, and that’s a part of that conversation," Staley said. "In order to go and get the ball as a running back, catch the ball as a running back, protect the passer, you must be dynamic on special teams, and that’s a conversation we have had.”