A new report indicates that the Miami Dolphins’ continuing search for help at running back included inquiring with the Detroit Lions about D’Andre Swift.
ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques looked at the Dolphins’ potential addition of Dalvin Cook and noted how Swift became a consideration after the Lions made their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
“Sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Miami inquired about running back D’Andre Swift after the Detroit Lions selected Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round of last month’s NFL draft,” wrote Louis-Jacques.
Swift is just 24 years old and set to begin his fourth season in the league. He was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
In his three seasons with the Lions, Swift never had a breakout campaign. He rushed for 1,680 yards and 18 touchdowns in 40 games, but was held back by a variety of injuries.
Swift was a valuable commodity in the Lions’ passing attack, hauling in 156 passes over those three seasons for 1,198 yards and seven touchdowns.
The aforementioned injuries suffered by Swift included a separated shoulder and high-ankle sprain last season. Those issues may help explain why the Lions used the 12th pick in the draft to select Gibbs, who played last season at the University of Alabama.
With no deal materializing, the Dolphins ended up choosing former Texas A&M University running back De’Von Achane in the third round of April’s draft.
In the case of Cook, the possibility of the Dolphins getting him from the Minnesota Vikings still exists. Adding a veteran of his caliber would bolster an area that needs an upgrade if the Dolphins want to make a deep postseason run.
Cook was taken by the Vikings in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Following two modest seasons, Cook emerged as a valuable weapon in the Vikings’ backfield. He’s rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the past four campaigns.
Standing just seven yards away from a career total of 6,000 rushing yards, Cook has also provided the Vikings with a solid receiving option. Over his six-year career, he’s caught 221 passes for 1,794 yards and five touchdowns.
Cook, a native of South Florida, has already indicated that he’d be open to joining the Dolphins if the team can make it happen.
With all of the focus on energizing the Dolphins’ running game, it’s clear that the team wants to fix the weaker parts of its lineup. Doing that may help make a potential run to the Super Bowl more plausible.
