The Detroit Lions have found a new complement to Jahmyr Gibbs.
Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has agreed to terms with the Lions, a source confirmed to The Detroit News on Tuesday. Pacheco will presumably fill the void left by David Montgomery, whom the Lions agreed to trade to the Houston Texans earlier this month.
Pacheco, a seventh-round draft pick in 2022, has spent all four of his professional seasons with the Chiefs. He’s rushed for 2,537 yards and 14 touchdowns over that stretch, averaging 4.4 yards per carry with a rushing success rate of 53.8%. As a receiver, Pacheco has caught 88 of his 105 career targets for 554 yards and three scores. He helped the Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls in his first two seasons.
The deal between the Lions and Pacheco, 27, cannot be made official until the new league year begins at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
What were Isiah Pacheco’s stats in 2025?
Last season, Pacheco totaled 563 yards from scrimmage and scored two TDs in 13 appearances. He missed time (three games) with a knee injury he suffered in a win over the Washington Commanders on Oct. 27. He returned exactly one month later versus the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Before his injury, Pacheco averaged 4.2 yards per carry. In the five games he played after returning, that average fell to 3.3
Pacheco ranked 37th among 48 qualified running backs in Expected Points Added (EPA) per rush (-0.13) and 44th in rushing yards over expected per attempt (-0.4), according to Next Gen Stats. He faced a stacked box (eight or more defenders) on only 14.4% of his attempts, the second-lowest rate among the qualified RBs.
Where Pacheco thrived was in short-yardage situations. He received 15 carries when the line to gain was two yards or closer, and he converted 13 (86.7%) of those attempts. The exceptions were a negative rush on second down against the New York Giants and a 1-yard gain on third-and-2 versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
How Isiah Pacheco fits with Lions
The Lions lost a bruiser when they agreed to send Montgomery to the Texans, but they gained one with Pacheco, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 216 pounds. He forced 90 missed tackles in his time with the Chiefs, including a career-high 45 in 2023.
With Gibbs leading the running back position, Pacheco is poised to be Detroit’s top backup. Other running backs slated to be on the 90-man roster when the new league year starts are Sione Vaki, Jacob Saylors, Kye Robichaux and Jabari Small.
What is Isiah Pacheco’s background?
Pacheco attended Rutgers before the Chiefs selected him 251st overall in 2022. He rushed for 2,442 yards and 18 touchdowns over his four seasons with the Scarlet Knights. His most productive collegiate outing (156 yards, four touchdowns) came in a 48-21 blowout over UMass. He was also productive against Michigan in 2018, recording 142 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries while also completing a 19-yard pass.
A native of New Jersey, Pacheco was rated by the 247Sports Composite as a three-star recruit. In addition to Rutgers, he held offers from Maryland, Syracuse and Pittsburgh, among others.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Lions to sign Isiah Pacheco as replacement for David Montgomery
Reporting by Richard Silva, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
