Jahmyr Gibbs is back in the mix, and that makes the road a lot steeper for Sione Vaki.
The Detroit Lions and Gibbs agreed to a 3-year, $67.5 million deal on Thursday, a move that comes as the team has been using two main running backs in training camp to get the room extra work and to test different looks against both the first- and second-team offensive lines. Those reps have gone well for the offensive line, and they also opened the door for a couple of backs trying to make noise.
Jacob Saylors and Jabari Small have been part of that push. On Thursday, both were reportedly looking spry in red-zone drills, and Pride of Detroit’s Jeremy Reisman wrote in his training camp observations - before Gibbs signed his extension - that, "Saylors continues to impress with his speed and one-cut style of running. Meanwhile, I thought Small ran with impressive strength, particularly between the tackles during red zone drills."
That is the problem for Vaki. The Lions’ 2024 draft pick is out for a while after suffering a broken nose earlier this week, and the timing could not be worse. While Saylors and Small are getting chances to stack good practice days, Vaki is losing the kind of live reps he needs to show he belongs in the regular-season mix behind Gibbs.
There is another layer to it, too. Vaki was already facing pressure on special teams, and the arrival of Greg Dortch only adds to that competition. Dortch is another new face who is reportedly starting out strong in camp, which makes Vaki’s path even tighter.
Back in minicamp, Dan Campbell laid out exactly what Vaki would need to show to earn a place on the roster this season:
"...the running back position is a little raw. He hasn’t played it all that much.
Protection, that’s something he can do, what else can he do out of the backfield, if he proves that, then, yeah. We want to move the football and find a way to win.
If he helps us do that, we’re going to find a way to put him on the field."
Without those chances to prove he can block, contribute out of the backfield, and help move the offense, Vaki’s comeback case is fading fast. Gibbs’ extension only sharpens that reality. If Vaki can’t return to camp with urgency, the Lions may be looking at an increasingly obvious roster bubble call.
In Other News...
Tarik Skubal Talks Reveal The Tigers Price Milwaukee Wouldn't Meet
The Tarik Skubal talks at the trade deadline turned into a familiar kind of front-office stalemate, with Milwaukee circling one of the best arms available while Detroit listened. ESPNs Jeff Passan reported the Brewers had interest in landing the Tigers ace, but the sides never found a package that bridged the gap, a reminder that even a premium pitcher can be hard to pry loose when the asking price starts with the kind of young talent Milwaukee values so highly.
At the center of the impasse was the Brewers decision to keep their most prized prospects out of the discussion, a stance that speaks to how they view their long-term pipeline. For Detroit, that kind of resistance meant the market never quite got where it needed to go, and for a team weighing immediate help against future control, the Skubal pursuit ended with the Brewers holding onto the pieces they were least willing to move. [Read more 🡒]
Tarik Skubal Just Reopened A Huge Tigers Question
Tarik Skubals move to the Dodgers closed one chapter for Detroit, but it also kept an old question hanging in the air about just how long the Tigers would be part of his future. In a recent podcast interview, the left-hander spoke about how hard it was to leave the Tigers after the Aug. 1 trade and reflected on what the organization meant to him, even as he turned his attention to chasing a World Series in Los Angeles.
What makes the conversation linger for Tigers fans is the hint that this may not be the final word on his Detroit story. Skubal said there could be room for talks to pick back up after the postseason, which leaves open a path, however narrow, for the kind of reunion teams and players almost never talk about once a trade like this has gone through. For now, the Tigers are left with the emotional reminder of what they gave up, and the possibility that the biggest question around Skubal is still sitting there for later. [Read more 🡒]
Brady Smith Is Giving Tigers Fans A Reason To Revisit That Trade
Brady Smith is starting to look like the kind of arm that can make a trade haul feel a little more intriguing with time. The 21-year-old right-hander came to Detroit in the Tarik Skubal deal, and after missing time with Tommy John surgery, he is putting together his first healthy pro season with real signs of progress. His command has sharpened, his secondary pitches are playing better, and Baseball America already has him sitting as the Tigers No. 15 prospect.
Smiths next step is a move to high Single-A West Michigan, where the challenge gets a little more serious and the eyes on him will only get more interested. For Detroit, the appeal is obvious: a young pitcher with a live arm, improving control and a track record that suggests there may still be another level to reach. It is the sort of development path that can quietly alter how a trade is remembered, especially when the player in question is still just getting started. [Read more 🡒]