Jahmyr Gibbs hamstring injury update: How long will the Lions’ RB be out?
The Detroit Lions are sweating over the status of their running back and rightly so as his status for the coming season is now very much up in the air.
With the NFL’s preseason campaign now in full swing, fans are getting a look at their favorite teams and the rosters that they’ve built. Of course, in a sport as demanding as football, one can imagine that injuries have already taken a toll on some teams even though the season hasn’t even started.
Lions offer an update on Jahmyr Gibbs’ injury
Following what has to be considered an impressive run this past season, there are high expectations for the Detroit Lions this coming campaign. Do recall, the Lions made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991. Unfortunately, they were undone by the San Francisco 49ers in a tight 34-31 loss. Since then, the Lions have made some smooth moves, including tying up a lucrative contract for starting quarterback, Jared Goff, who will lead the line in 2024.
Yet, it’s got to be said that there are now legitimate worries for the Lions as one of their best players, Jahmyr Gibbs, went down with a hamstring injury during Monday’s practice according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. At present, there has been no official word on how long Gibbs will be out, but if we take initial reactions as a gauge, the prospects don’t look good. It’s worth noting that this is not the first time that Gibbs has dealt with hamstring issues. Indeed, back in October last year the former Alabama standout was forced to miss two games due to a similar issue. There were also the workouts that he missed in spring this year due to an unspecified soft-tissue injury which saw him absent between June 5th and July 27th.
As one can imagine, this presents a problem for the Lions when it comes to depth. To be clear, Gibbs was widely expected to share duties out of the backfield - as he did last season - with David Montgomery. Where facts and figures are concerned, it’s interesting to observe that Montgomery saw a higher number of snaps last season than Gibbs with 219 compared to 182 for Gibbs, however, the younger talent averaged slightly more yards per carry with 5.2 vs. 4.6. Mention should also be made of Gibbs’ catches as he managed to notch 52 receptions whereas Montgomery was only able to haul in 16.
Of course, 2023, represented Gibbs’ rookie season in the NFL and it would be unfair to call it anything less than stellar. After rushing for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns, along with 316 receiving yards for one score, it wasn’t surprising to see him receive a Pro Bowl selection, as well as numerous votes for the Offensive Rookie of the Year honor. All of this is to say, Gibbs’ status represents a real issue for the Lions and even more so when considering the fact that he’s not the only injury concern that the team has. Aside from Gibbs, the Lions are also without rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr., both of who were also injured during the practice session. Up next for the Lions is a date with defending Super Bowl champion, Kansas City Chiefs, who they will face in their second week of preseason games on Saturday, August 17th. As we always say, watch this space.