No Lions player received more scrutiny than D'Andre Swift during the team's second appearance on HBO's "Hard Knocks" Tuesday night. But don't tell that to the third-year running back, whose miscues repeatedly frustrated assistant head coach Duce Staley. Forecasting the upcoming 2022 season, Swift told the Lions' official website Wednesday that his goal for this year is to log 1,000 yards rushing and receiving -- a feat that's only been accomplished three times in league history.
Swift specifically cited Staley, also the team's running backs coach, as a reason he believes he can pull off the gaudy production. Staley, for what it's worth, had lots of high praise for Swift's upside during "Hard Knocks," saying the former second-round pick has the talent to be the best ball-carrier in the NFL. He expressed concern, however, over some of Swift's intangibles, such as aggressiveness and confidence.
Confidence, it seems, is not lacking anymore, at least publicly. The only other players to top 1,000 yards as both a runner and receiver are Christian McCaffrey, who topped 2,300 scrimmage yards for the 2019 Panthers; Marshall Faulk, who won Offensive Player of the Year with more than 2,400 yards for the 1999 Rams; and Roger Craig, who just barely eclipsed 2,000 total yards for the 1985 49ers.
Swift has been active as both a runner and receiver in his two NFL seasons, albeit in a limited role. He's technically started just four games in each of his two years, totaling 878 scrimmage yards as a rookie and boosting the total to 1,069 in 2021. All signs still point to Swift sharing carries with former Packers reserve Jamaal Williams in Detroit's backfield.
