After trading away David Montgomery to the Houston Texans this offseason, the Detroit Lions have brought in some new faces and re-evaluated a few old ones to bolster the depth at running back behind Jahmyr Gibbs.
Detroit’s marquee addition at the position Isiah Pacheco. The 27-year-old started 42 games during his four-season tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs, but his production has significantly declined over the last two years, though injuries did play a part in that.
Entering training camp, Pacheco was considered a lock to be the Lions’ RB2. However, he’s missed most of camp with a sprained MCL, and Detroit’s visit with Kareem Hunt raises questions about whether Pacheco will be back by Week 1.
Lions Bring Kareem Hunt in For Visit
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According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Lions hosted free-agent running back Kareem Hunt for a visit on Tuesday. Hunt spent the 2025 season in Kansas City with Pacheco and posted 611 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns on 3.7 yards per carry.
Hunt is past his prime, but the 2017 third-round pick would be a solid backup plan for the Lions if Pacheco isn’t ready to go in Week 1. Hunt still runs with power, didn’t miss a game last year, and could step in as a power back in goal-line situations.
Gibbs should be Detroit’s workhorse back in 2026, and the offense should run through him. However, adding Hunt would take pressure off Gibbs and keep him fresh for a potential playoff run in January and February.
Overall, the Lions bringing in Hunt for a visit signals that Pacheco could miss the season opener against the New Orleans Saints. Head coach Dan Campbell stating a few weeks ago that he isn’t worried about Pacheco’s availability for the start the year, but Detroit didn’t show interest in Hunt for no reason.
Regardless, if Pacheco is inactive for the opener, general manager Brad Holmes seems to be exploring signing Hunt to provide the running back group with another capable and experienced runner.
