The Green Bay Packers are unable to escape facing concerning backfield duos when it comes to NFC North rivals. The Chicago Bears have a well-established duo of D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai to concern Packer fans. However, it appeared the franchise had caught a break with the Detroit Lions and David Montgomery parting ways in the 2026 offseason. This was a short-lived victory, with Detroit very quickly pivoting and bringing in Super Bowl champion Isiah Pacheco to replace the departing Montgomery.
It has to be a major concern for the Packers that not only is Pacheco a great second option, but he also allows the Lions even more freedom to attack with Jahmyr Gibbs. Subtracting Montgomery is in many ways a scary proposition for the Packers, given the fallout and what the addition of Pacheco means. The former Kansas City Chief rushed for 935 yards in the 2023 season and is more than capable when healthy.
Pacheco runs with a punishing style that will wear on Packers defenders, helping keep Gibbs fresh and consistently in the lineup. Add in the fact that there is no longer any pressure on the Detroit offense to balance carries, and the unit itself is far more intimidating as free agency continues to wind down. The Lions took away a point of contention and added a talented rusher, allowing the franchise to focus more completely on Gibbs.
Packers Have Clear Backfield Duo to Worry About After Detroit's Free Agency Moves
This is where it is important to note that two things can be true: an explosive Gibbs is going to be more of a focal point of the offense, and Pacheco is a dangerous change-of-pace back who is going to punish tacklers. The Lions took an area of the roster that was a question mark and solved the problem. Part of this solution was bringing in new offensive leadership to help the coaching staff best utilize its weapons. No question, it isn't just the Bears that the Packers now have to be concerned about in the NFC North.
Detroit's offensive retooling is more than enough to create a healthy level of respect and concern heading into the 2026 season. While the draft and end of free agency still lie ahead, there is no debating that the Lions' addition of Pacheco, coupled with tweaking their offensive coaching staff, allowed the franchise to close considerable ground.
For the Packers, it is a great reason to focus on defensive line depth in the upcoming draft and consider the best fits to help stop the backfield duos of both Chicago and Detroit. This is a frustrating reality for a team that finished second in the division a season ago and now is clearly in a three-way race thanks to the addition of Pacheco and offensive improvements that have the Lions firmly back in the conversation.