Detroit Lions Player Profile: Can Isaiah Pacheco Revive His Career in Detroit?
· Yahoo Sports
With Detroit Lions training camp just 12 days away, the countdown to football is officially on. Fans hoping to attend practice should mark their calendars because free training camp tickets go on sale July 21 at 10 a.m. ET. They won’t last long.
Before training camp begins, my Detroit Lions player profile series continues with a look at one of the team’s most intriguing offseason additions: running back Isaiah Pacheco.
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After David Montgomery was traded this offseason, Detroit signed Pacheco to a one-year, fully guaranteed $1.81 million contract. While Montgomery was one of the NFL’s best complementary backs during his time in Detroit, Pacheco has the potential to carve out a significant role alongside Jahmyr Gibbs if he can return to his previous form.
2025 season
Pacheco struggled to regain his top form in 2025 after dealing with injuries. According to Pro Football Focus, he earned a 58.6 overall grade, ranking 54th among 55 qualified running backs. His 67.4 rushing grade ranked 53rd.
He finished the season with 118 carries for 462 yards and one touchdown while averaging 3.9 yards per carry. Despite the disappointing production, Pacheco still showed flashes of his physical running style by forcing 13 missed tackles and averaging 2.8 yards after contact per attempt.
As a receiver, he caught 19 of 26 targets for 101 yards and one touchdown. He did not lose a fumble but was charged with four drops.
Looking back at 2023
Before injuries slowed him down, Pacheco was one of the league’s more productive running backs.
In 2023, he earned an 82.3 overall PFF grade, tied for 10th among qualifying running backs. His 83.7 rushing grade also ranked 10th, while his 70.8 receiving grade ranked 12th.
That season, he rushed 205 times for 935 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He also caught 44 of 50 targets for 244 receiving yards and one touchdown, dropping just one pass all season.
Career production
Over 51 career games, Pacheco has rushed 576 times for 2,537 yards and 14 touchdowns while averaging 4.4 yards per carry. He has also caught 88 of 105 targets for 415 receiving yards, giving him an impressive 83.8% career catch rate. Across 664 career touches, he has averaged 4.7 yards per touch.
What he brings to Detroit
Pacheco’s role won’t be to replace Montgomery. Instead, he’ll complement one of the NFL’s most explosive playmakers in Jahmyr Gibbs.
He is a physical, downhill runner who thrives between the tackles, runs with relentless energy and isn’t afraid to do the dirty work. He is also a capable pass protector, an area that will help him earn snaps in offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s offense.
Pacheco also brings championship experience after winning two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played under Andy Reid. That winning pedigree and playoff experience could prove valuable in a Detroit locker room who are desperately trying to reach the big stage.
Outlook
The biggest question surrounding Pacheco is health. Injuries have limited his production over the past two seasons, but if he can stay healthy and regain the form he showed in 2023, Detroit may have found one of the better value signings of the offseason.
While he may not fully replace what Montgomery brought to the offense, Pacheco has the physical running style the Lions want. I expect him to earn roughly 100 carries for around 400 rushing yards while adding five rushing touchdowns in a complementary role behind Gibbs.