Detroit Lions RB D’Andre Swift is bigger, stronger and healthier

This offseason, the Detroit Lions challenged working again D’Andre Swift: Combat via the bumps and bruises and play via all 17 video games in 2022.

Swift, a working again who was injured in every of his first two seasons, is wholesome now and the workforce expects him to be one in all its high gamers on offense.

“Everyone knows there’s a distinction in being injured and harm,” assistant coach and working backs coach Duce Staley mentioned. “As quickly as you step on this constructing as a working again — Day 1 of coaching camp — you’re not going to really feel the identical. So there are going to be some issues he’s going to need to battle via, and he’s going to need to work via that.”

It’s a blunt assertion from Staley, however that’s the form of honesty Swift and the remainder of the Lions roster has come to count on from the teaching workers. These phrases carry extra weight coming from Staley, who was an NFL working again for 10 seasons.

“Duce goes to inform me what I would like to listen to, and that’s form of what you want,” Swift mentioned. “That’s the kind of man I wish to play for.”

The 23-year-old is taking the problem head-on, hitting the burden room within the offseason and arriving at camp noticeably greater and stronger.

“Full physique energy,” Swift mentioned of his offseason routine. “Getting my physique proper.”

The Lions, too, are taking duty to guarantee that Swift can keep wholesome. They plan to extend his coaching camp workload but in addition gained’t overload him.

“There could possibly be just a little little bit of, we ramp him up for a pair days, again him off on the third day,” coach Dan Campbell mentioned. “However we’re going to be sensible with him.”

Swift has proven flashes of being a potent weapon for the Lions’ offense. He improved his all-purpose yardage from 878 his rookie season to 1,069 final yr. However a mix of sharing the backfield with Jamaal Williams and nagging accidents restricted him to only 151 rushes final yr, rating him thirtieth amongst NFL backs.

Campbell has seen sufficient potential within the 2020 second-round decide and admitted it’s going to be onerous to take Swift off the sector when the season begins.

“Swift is one in all our most explosive gamers on offense,” Campbell mentioned. “Like actually, we really feel like, ‘Alright man, if we set this up proper and there’s any house, this man can take it to the home.’ He’s bought that means, and so, my gosh, man, you need these guys on the market each play.”

Swift can also profit from the excessive expectations of the offensive line. Whereas accidents led final season to left sort out Taylor Decker lacking the primary eight video games of the season and Professional Bowl middle Frank Ragnow the ultimate 13 video games, all 5 starters are at present wholesome.

Swift mentioned “that’d imply the world” if it stays that approach.

Reporting by Related Press.

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