Lions Flagship Radio Debates Bold Roster Decisions

Are the Lions a high-end running back away from being contenders?

The Detroit Lions must address the running back position in the 2023 offseason.

Starter Jamaal Williams is a free agent, and D’Andre Swift will be one after the season concludes in 2024. Detroit general manager Brad Holmes will need to decide whether he wants to commit to both long term or look elsewhere for help.

During recent segments on 97.1 The Ticket, hosts have discussed the possibility of adding big-name running backs this offseason, rather than bringing back Williams and Swift. 

On Wednesday afternoon, on-air personalities Jim Costa and Rico Beard debated signing Saquon Barkley, should the New York Giants decide not to re-sign him.

“Looking at what the Lions have built, it is one of those where it’s gonna come across as, ‘That’s ridiculous, I wouldn’t pay a running back,'” Beard said. “But again, if you want a difference-maker, if you want a face of a team that’s not the head coach, it’s Saquon.”

Costa pushed back against the idea, citing the impact a high workload can have on a running back. Barkley carried the ball 295 times, and made 57 receptions in 2022. Costa provided recent examples of running backs which struggled with durability coming off seasons with similar workloads.

“You’re asking for them to break down, that’s what happens,” Costa said. “It’s next year I’m worried about. Saquon touched it 350 times this year. That’s a workload where you’re begging for things to go wrong.”

Beard mentioned that Barkley could be the difference-maker that Detroit’s offense needs. When Costa asked why he believes paying a running back is worth it, Beard outlined the impact that the current Giants back could have on the offense.

“You’re gonna go get one of the best players who can do this for you,” Beard said. “You have a window of right now, so go get the guy that can help get you from almost making the playoffs to making you a contender. Your window is about to close sooner than you think.”

Later in the segment, the two hosts debated the future of the Lions, with regards to the salary cap. While Costa made a point about securing a rookie quarterback on a small contract that would allow the team to re-sign a majority of its core pieces, Beard argued signing a player like Barkley could put the team closer to a championship in the near future.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry :: © Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

On Thursday morning, hosts Michael Stone and Jon Jansen pondered a trade for Tennessee Titans back Derrick Henry. This conversation was sparked by several recent cuts made by the Titans, which released three players on Wednesday.

Stone and Jansen discussed the impact of adding an established star at the position to help complement quarterback Jared Goff. They agreed that a move like one for Henry should only be made if the Lions feel like they could be contenders for the NFC championship in 2023.

“His contract gets voided after this coming year, so he’s basically a free agent,” Stone said. “So, if you’re sitting there, the Lions’ brain trust saying, ‘We are a Derrick Henry away from, arguably, going to the NFC Championship Game,’ I make that move. Otherwise, I don’t.”

This debated move was part of a larger discussion on the state of the Lions’ roster. Both Stone and Jansen agreed that the Lions should look to add pieces that can amplify Goff’s skill set and make the offense more explosive.

“All the pieces have to be in place, and I don’t know of anybody who’s really gonna argue that,” Jansen explained. “Jared Goff is not gonna be the guy that goes out there and gets you home-field advantage in the playoffs by himself, as the focal point of the offense. Obviously, everything runs through him, but he’s not gonna be the one that goes out there and makes all the plays, like a Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow.”