Jacob Saylors entered the Detroit Lions’ preseason opener fighting for the final spot in a crowded running back room.
He left Cincinnati looking like the clear favorite.
Saylors supplied nearly everything Detroit’s offense could generate during the first half of Thursday night’s 16-14 loss to the Bengals. He ran with burst, caught the ball cleanly and gave Dan Campbell another reminder that he can contribute beyond the occasional carry.
For a player competing to become Detroit’s fourth running back, it was exactly the kind of night he needed.
Jacob Saylors gives Detroit’s offense a spark
Saylors finished with 83 yards from scrimmage on only 11 touches. He carried eight times for 55 yards, an average of 6.9 yards per attempt, and caught all three of his targets for 28 yards.
The numbers were impressive. His importance to the offense was even more obvious while watching the game.
Detroit struggled with penalties, dropped passes and inconsistent offensive-line play. When the Lions produced something positive, Saylors was usually involved.
“He was probably our most potent player on offense,” Campbell said after the game. “I thought he made a lot of plays for us.”
That assessment was difficult to dispute.
Saylors ran decisively and showed enough acceleration to turn small openings into productive gains. He nearly broke one run for Detroit’s first touchdown before being caught by the ankles near the goal line.
Another nine-yard run helped position Jake Bates for a 52-yard field goal before halftime.
Detroit’s official game recap listed Saylors alongside Luke Altmyer and Ahmed Hassanein as the young players who made the strongest impressions in Cincinnati.
Saylors became Detroit’s early workhorse
The Lions did not play Jahmyr Gibbs, Isiah Pacheco or Sione Vaki, opening the door for the running backs fighting behind them.
Jabari Small also sat out the game, reportedly because of an undisclosed injury. That gave Saylors a valuable opportunity to separate himself in the competition for Detroit’s final running back position.
He took advantage.
“He was the steady workhorse we had early in that game,” Campbell said. “If we were coming up with anything positive, he had most of it. I like where he’s at.”
Calling Saylors a workhorse may sound unusual after only eight carries, but the description fits the way Detroit used him.
Saylors was asked to run between the tackles, attack the edge and become a checkdown option for Detroit’s quarterbacks. He handled each assignment without looking like a player limited to one offensive role.
The Lions already knew Saylors could carry the ball. He showed that during the previous preseason and whenever injuries created regular-season opportunities.
What Detroit needed to see Thursday was a more complete performance. Could he help the offense without requiring a specific package or play call?
The answer was yes.
The fumbled exchange cannot be ignored
Saylors’ night was not spotless.
He and Altmyer mishandled a second-quarter exchange near Detroit’s goal line. Cincinnati recovered at the Lions’ 7 and scored two plays later, turning the mistake into the Bengals’ only touchdown.
The play occurred while heavy rain was falling at Paycor Stadium. Available accounts have described it as a bad exchange rather than assigning the entire mistake to one player.
It still matters.
Reserve running backs receive limited opportunities during the regular season. A mishandled exchange that gives an opponent the ball near the goal line can erase several productive carries.
The good news for Saylors is that he did not allow the mistake to ruin his night. He continued running hard, catching passes and creating offense.
That response matters to Campbell almost as much as avoiding the mistake in the first place.
Saylors has the versatility Detroit needs
The Lions know what they have at the top of their running back depth chart.
Gibbs is one of the NFL’s most explosive offensive weapons. Pacheco provides a physical running style and proven experience. Vaki has developed into one of Detroit’s most valuable special-teams contributors.
That leaves a very specific job available.
“He has some juice,” Campbell said. “Because we were with him last year, we know he can play some special teams. That’s going to be big for that next running back role.”
Detroit’s fourth running back will not receive 15 carries every Sunday. He may not receive five.
His path to the roster will be built around special teams, injury insurance and the ability to provide useful offensive snaps without forcing the coaching staff to change the playbook.
Saylors checks those boxes.
He has already spent time in Detroit’s system. He understands the demands of special teams. His performance against Cincinnati showed that he can also create yards as a runner and receiver when called upon.
The Lions’ preseason roster projection identified Saylors and Small as the primary competitors for the final running back position. After one game, Saylors has created noticeable distance.
Special teams will decide the competition
Campbell has never hidden what he expects from players near the bottom of the roster.
Offensive production can earn attention. Special-teams reliability often earns the job.
“We know what the two backs at the top are,” Campbell said. “We know what Vaki is. Vaki is one of the best special teams players in this league. If that fourth back is going to make it, he has to be able to help on special teams. It was good to see Saylors do what he did.”
That is the roadmap.
Saylors does not need to beat out Gibbs, Pacheco or Vaki. He must convince Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes that Detroit’s roster is stronger with a fourth running back who can cover kicks, protect the football and provide instant offense if injuries strike.
Thursday was an important step.
Small will have more opportunities once healthy. Kye Robichaux and the other backs will continue competing. One preseason performance does not secure a roster position.
It can establish a leader.
Right now, that player is Saylors.
Bottom Line
Jacob Saylors entered Detroit’s preseason opener with a chance to take control of the Lions’ fourth running back competition.
He did exactly that.
Saylors produced 83 yards on 11 touches, gave Detroit’s offense its most consistent source of production and reminded the coaching staff that he can help on special teams. The fumbled exchange must be corrected, but it did not overshadow everything else he accomplished.
Campbell called him Detroit’s most potent offensive player. For a running back fighting for the final spot in the room, that is about as strong an endorsement as he could receive.