The Lions have built one of the NFL's deepest backfields, but one analyst believes it may be time to move on from a young running back.

Brad Berreman of Side Lions Report urged the Detroit Lions to move on from the 24-year-old running back Sione Vaki along with two other players to maximize their chances of landing in the Super Bowl.

“Like Manu, Vaki was also notably invested in via a trade-up early on Day 3 of the 2024 draft,” Brad Berreman wrote. “Cracking the Lions' running back mix is no easy task, of course, but 27 offensive snaps and seven carries over two seasons…”

The other players on the list are OL Giovanni Manu and OL Colby Sorsdal.

Brad Berreman of Side Lions Report centered his argument on the investment and return on investment that the Lions yielded from RB Vaki.

The Lions traded up with the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to select Sione Vaki, but in return, he just logged 27 offensive snaps and seven rushing attempts. 

However, Berreman agreed that Vaki is an effective special-teamer, but the Lions were expecting him as part of the main roster. In which he fell short of delivering. 

His path to a larger offensive role also became significantly more difficult after Detroit signed Isiah Pacheco to serve as Jahmyr Gibbs' backup, leaving little room for Vaki to climb the running back depth chart.

Taking the idea of maintaining a fairly younger roster for the 2026 NFL season, Brad Berreman also suggested three names the Detroit Lions need to keep on developing. 

Which young Lions still deserve patience

While compiling his list, Brad Berreman of Side Lions Report suggested that there are three young players who are worth investing in to keep the Super Bowl window open as the Detroit Lions are set to undo their mistakes from the 2025 NFL season. 

The three players are wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa, cornerback Ennis Rakestraw, and defensive end Ahmed Hassanein.

He highlighted TeSlaa’s six touchdowns with just 16 catches as a rookie last season, which has high potential to become the core talent for the Motor City team. 

Recently, he received high praise from fellow WRs Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.

Following on the list is Rakestraw, who deserves another chance after battling injuries over the past two seasons, especially with Terrion Arnold no longer on the roster, creating a path to a starting role opposite D.J. Reed. 

At last, Hassanein earned Berreman's patience after a preseason pectoral injury wiped out his rookie campaign, with Detroit's decision to retain him signaling the team still believes in his long-term potential.

What do you think? Should the Lions move on from Vaki? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker