Detroit Lions: Ameer Abdullah isn’t done in the Motor City
The Detroit Lions appear to still be in the Ameer Abdullah business despite the former second round running back’s recent rushing woes.
After ranking dead last in the NFL in rushing last season, the Detroit Lions committed a good amount of resources in improving their sputtering running game. The Lions signed three-time Super Bowl winning running back LeGarrette Blount via free agency to start.
Late last month, Detroit used their first and second round picks on Arkansas center Frank Ragnow and Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson respectively. The completion of their offensive line and their two new workhorses are expected to give the Motor City a hard-nosed rushing style that’s been severely lacking for years.
With the addition of both Blount and Johnson to their running backs’ room, plus the receiving prowess of veteran Theo Riddick, former starter Ameer Abdullah‘s role within the Lions’ existing offense seems to have all but disappeared.
Many speculated that the former 2015 second round selection out of Nebraska could have been trade bait prior to the draft in order for Detroit to acquire more picks. Instead, Abdullah remains on the roster despite being in a very crowded locker room and in the final year of his rookie contract.
Fortunately for Abdullah, he still has one big fan in the front office. That person being general manager Bob Quinn. In fact, the young GM recently stated that both Abdullah and Kerryon Johnson would compete against each other and all the other backs on the Lions’ currently bloated roster for a role on this offense.
"“I wouldn’t say there was a huge drop off (at the position), but [Kerryon Johnson] was the guy we wanted … Ameer’s [Abdullah] here, he was here this week, we’re going to let all those guys compete,” Quinn told DetroitLions.com. “This isn’t a one-back league … We’re not a one-back team. It’s a RBBC (running back by committee) league. We’ll probably have three of them active every week, and every one of them is going to have a role in our offense.”"
Last season, Abdullah averaged a career-low 3.3 yards per carry in Detroit, rushing for 552 yards and four touchdowns. The 24-year old was benched late last season due to his poor play by then head coach Jim Caldwell.
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With Bob Quinn cheering him on from the sidelines and new head coach Matt Patricia vowing to go with a running back-by-committee approach, similar to his former team the New England Patroits, suddenly Ameer Abdullah seems very much in the Lions plans this year.