The Detroit Lions have already made some difficult decisions during the 2026 offseason. Detroit parted ways with left tackle Taylor Decker and made the difficult decision to trade David Montgomery to Houston. Now the Lions have finally found a replacement for Montgomery in free agency.
The Lions have agreed on a contract with former Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Pacheco joins Jahmyr Gibbs, giving Detroit a similar one-two punch that they are used to having in their backfield. He is coming off a down year where he logged 462 rushing yards and a touchdown in 13 games played.
Detroit wants to maintain its identity as a hard-nosed, physical running team on offense. That makes Pacheco the perfect addition.
Pacheco is a hard runner who is capable of gaining chunk yardage when the proper blocking is in front of him. The Lions do not have the elite offensive line of a few years ago, but they still have a strong unit.
Detroit is a good landing spot for Pacheco because he will not be forced into lead back duties. Lions fans should still expect Gibbs to shoulder a heavy load of carries just like he did in 2025. But now Pacheco could be the answer in short-yardage situations and when Campbell wants to punish opposing defenses with pure power.
The offensive line has been a priority for Detroit early in the offseason, which pairs nicely with this Pacheco signing.
The Lions added former Panthers center Cade Mays on a three-year contract worth $25 million. They also signed backup tackle Larry Borom and acquired interior lineman Juice Scruggs as part of the Montgomery trade.
Detroit still has a glaring hole at left tackle. It will be interesting to see if the Lions fill that need through free agency, the draft, or a trade.
Either way, the Pacheco signing confirms that the Lions are getting back to their roots as a power running team.
