After limiting D’Andre Swift’s workload last summer because of a groin injury, the Detroit Lions are trying a different approach with their No. 1 running back this training camp.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said Friday he still will be careful managing Swift’s reps, but he wants to increase Swift’s workload to help him build up enough body armor to make it through the regular season.
“I would like to see if, man, can we get him out of camp, get his legs under him, get him in really good shape, like I said get the intensity, get the volume under him and then let’s see where he looks like,” Campbell said. “‘Cause look, this time last year, we went and we had to pull back, man. He missed, shoot, man, a week and a half, two weeks in camp for the most part. So we really never got to put a load on him and get him prepared for a season.”
Swift led the Lions in rushing yards and total touchdowns and had a career-high 213 offensive touches last season, but his body broke down toward the end of the year.
He suffered a minor shoulder injury in a 33-carry, 130-yard performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers, then reaggravated the injury 11 days later in a loss to the Chicago Bears.
Swift missed four games last December and managed just 11 carries upon his return in the final two weeks of the season.
“We ran into this with (Alvin Kamara) every year,” Campbell said, referring to his time with the New Orleans Saints. “Look, it goes without saying, Swift is one of our most explosive players on offense. Like literally, we feel like, ‘All right man, if we set this up and there’s any space, this guy can take it to the house.’ Like, he’s got that ability. And so my gosh man, you want those guys out there every play, but you also know you may not have them.”
Swift has been a full participant in the Lions’ first three practices of summer — pads do not come on until Monday — and was one of the standout performers in Friday’s two-hour workout.
He said he is down to 9% body fat, feeling healthy after the rigors of last season and ready for whatever workload coaches throw at him this summer.
“Being out there with the team, missing reps, all that type of stuff comes into play in the season,” Swift said. “Try to make it through camp, make it hard throughout the week so it can be easy on Sundays when you get in the regular season. So that’s the kind of objective.”
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Swift did not play in the preseason last summer and is unlikely to see many carries once exhibition games begin next month.
Instead, Campbell said the Lions will ramp up his workload for days at a time in camp, then pull back to avoid overuse.
“We’ve got to be smart with him,” Campbell said. “This first week is so — the reps are so much lighter that we weren’t really going to worry about it right now. But as we start next week, there’ll be things that we do with him, just to try to maximize what we can get (in terms of) intensity and volume in a week for him and be smart. And so there could be a little bit of, we ramp him up for a couple days, back him off on the third day, but we are, we’re going to be smart with him. Try to be, but yet still get him.”
If Swift gets to September healthy, he could be poised for a huge season.
Campbell said Swift is in “phenomenal shape” and looks even more explosive than he was a season ago, when he finished with 617 yards rushing on 151 carries and was second on the team with 62 receptions.
Swift said his only goal for the season is for the Lions to win more games.
“Team success brings individual success,” he said.
But with the Lions poised to lean more heavily on the running game and play-action pass, his play could be more in the spotlight.
He scored three touchdowns in 11 red-zone snaps by the first-team offense Friday, is a clear No. 1 in the running back rotation and will remain a feature part of the passing game.
“I’m ready,” Swift said. “Whatever they see fit for me, I’m ready.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.