Who starts in Lions backfield next season?

The Lions had one of the worst rushing attacks in the league last season, ranking dead last with 83.4 yards per game. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that they decided to make some changes to their backfield and offensive line.

They released starter Joique Bell after a down year and signed former Patriots and Jets running back Stevan Ridley. Returning are second-year backs Ameer Abdullah and Zach Zenner, who each had their moments, but neither proved capable of bein a feature back yet.

Pass-catching specialist Theo Riddick returns as well, but his role as a third-down weapon isn’t likely to change.  So with all of these runners on the roster, who is going to be the guy to lead the Lions’ backfield next season?

Abdullah was acquired with a 2nd-round pick in the 2015 Draft, by far the biggest investment of any of the running backs on the roster.  That doesn’t make it a sure thing that he will get the starting job, however. Head coach Jim Caldwell will not be concerned with salary or draft status in making this decision. His ultimate goal is to put the team in the best position to win games. Abdullah led all Lions’ backs with 597-rushing yards in 2015, but struggled with fumbles throughout the year.

Stevan Ridley is the new guy in this group, and with his connections to GM Bob Quinn, some have speculated he is the sleeper to start for Detroit. Ridley had a rather ineffective year for the Jets last season, finishing with just 90-rushing yards in the five games that he played. He is a good all-around back, but I believe his signing was made to add depth in case Riddick or Abdullah goes down with an injury.

Zenner was an undrafted free agent that made the roster after leading the Lions, and the entire NFL, in preseason rushing last season. Zenner is a power back with good speed, fairly similar to Joique Bell.  He is probably a long-shot to be the starter, but his effectiveness could earn him more carries as the season goes on. His 2015 season was abruptly shortened when he cracked multiple ribs in week six. Zenner has defied odds up to this point in his career, so it’s probably not wise to underestimate him.

The Lions have a decent stable of backs with complementary attributes. If we look at New England’s model over the past ten seasons, they have been fairly successful with the running back by committee approach. Maybe Quinn wants to emulate the Patriots’ approach, where it seems they have devalued the running back position.

One thing is certain, the problem last season had more to do with poor run-blocking than it did with not having a capable runner. After drafting offensive tackle Taylor Decker and center Graham Glasgow a few weeks ago, the Lions are at least attempting to fix their offensive line. If I had to guess, I’d say Abdullah will get the job out of the preseason. Don’t count out Zenner if continues to be effective.