The Detroit Lions needed a backup running back after trading David Montgomery to the Houston Texans, and it appears they’ve filled the need with Isiah Pacheco. The former Kansas City Chiefs running back has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with Detroit, according to KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson, and will likely slot in beside Jahmyr Gibbs to help the Lions regain their one-two punch in the backfield.
While Pacheco seems like a stylistic fit to replace Montgomery, there are some issues. After falling out of favor in Kansas City, Pacheco may not be the best option moving forward, which could lead to his contract being a stopgap for the Lions as they look to solidify their backfield.
Isiah Pacheco Might Be a Stopgap for Lions’ RB2 Problems
Pacheco brings an impressive resume to Detroit as a two-time Super Bowl champion. At 26 years old, he also could be a long-term solution to the Lions’ search for a backup running back. But he also comes with the warning signs you would see on a truck with 200,000 miles.
The Lions are likely expecting the flashes Pacheco showed early in his career when he ran for 1,765 yards and 12 touchdowns over his first two seasons. He also showed some power, averaging 3.15 yards per carry after contact in 2022 and 2.90 yards per carry after contact in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus.
Things changed when Pacheco suffered a fractured fibula early in the 2024 season. Pacheco ran for just 310 yards and a touchdown that season, and he only ran for 462 yards and a touchdown last season. He looked even worse after suffering an MCL sprain and 175 scoreless yards on 49 carries in the final five games.
If being mothballed behind a 30-year-old Kareem Hunt isn’t bad enough, the analytics make Pacheco’s downfall look worse. According to Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis, Pacheco was “38th in yards per carry (3.9), 46th in explosive run rate (3.4%), and 47th in success rate (29.7%) last season” despite facing “the NFL’s highest rate of light boxes and lowest rate of boxes with seven or more defenders.”
To tie it together, Pacheco’s explosiveness has disappeared with two breakaway runs, defined by PFF as designed runs of 15 yards or more, over the past two seasons combined. With his yards after contact dropping to 2.27 yards in 2024 and 2.75 yards in 2025, Pacheco appears to be a fading asset, which should make fans wonder what general manager Brad Holmes has up his sleeve.
While fans can hope for Pacheco to be “Knuckles” to Gibbs’s “Sonic,” the Lions would benefit from finding someone who’s not wearing lead sneakers. This could be another veteran running back in this year’s market, including Brian Robinson, Najee Harris, or Joe Mixon. However, all three are coming off serious injury.
It could also persuade the Lions to take a running back in this year’s draft, as they own seven selections on the final day of the draft.
With the added possibility of packaging those picks to take a running back earlier, the Lions have plenty of options moving forward, and it could mean Pacheco’s time in Detroit has a shelf life despite Tuesday’s agreement.