World News – USA – How the Detroit Lions might deal with running backs if D’Andre Swift can or cannot play

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ALLEN PARK, Michigan – D’Andre Swift barely practiced in two weeks. He was recovering from a concussion – and as soon as he was released on Thursday, he was taken off training on Thursday and Friday due to an illness. Even if Swift plays Chicago on Sunday and is considered questionable, his role for the Detroit Lions is consistent with his game status.

Even interim coach Darrell Bevell, who also leads the offensive, said that Swift’s role – if he does – will be limited.

« It would just return to a smaller package for him, » Bevell said. « He was in meetings. He was in and out, coaches communicated with him, he did some zoom stuff. We just have to see what kind of game schedule-specific stuff goes.

« It would be very specific if he could go out there and play fast like I imagine. ”

That Bevell is referring to the return to a smaller package could mean that Swift’s role on Sunday could look more like it did at the start of the season when he worked his way into the line-up after an injury at training camp.

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In his first four games, Swift typically took 20 to 30 snaps – he took out the Arizona game plan in Week 3, when Swift barely played – and had a handful of broadcasts and ran 10 to 20 routes. Yes, Swift’s role has grown since then, and there’s no reason to believe that once he gets back to practice his role won’t return to the big one it has become, but Bevell will be smart with him.

« We’ll continue this through the week, » Bevell said. « We’ll see how he continues to react to things. ”

Whether Swift is playing or not, it probably means more of an ongoing role for Adrian Peterson and Kerryon Johnson. Johnson saw his biggest workload of the season against Houston with 11 broadcasts, and with Swift in the last two games, Johnson has surpassed 35 snaps each week after playing less than 20 in all but one game.

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Peterson also got his biggest workload in a month on Thanksgiving with 15 transfers – and he was the team’s goal line back, scoring two touchdowns. But even with Swift, Peterson’s snaps haven’t increased much – he has played 20 or fewer snaps in each of the last six games. Jonathan Williams played a few on Thanksgiving, but it’s hard to see he’s a factor unless Detroit is big or down.

Swift would be more likely to reduce Johnson’s workload, in part due to his skills and potential to use him as a pass catcher in two-minute and third-down situations. However, Johnson would still lean backwards with more potential on Sunday, although Peterson could still play a goal-line role which could make him valuable for fantasy purposes.

D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions, Kerryon Johnson, Running Back, Adrian Peterson, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans