Who’s the odd man out in the Detroit Lions’ offensive backfield?

In 2018, the Detroit Lions made solid progress in their journey out of the NFL’s rushing cellar. With some of their best backfield depth of the past decade, who may miss the cut in 2019?

While NFL running backs tend to have a relatively short shelf life, the running game overall is a critical part of team’s success. The Detroit Lions are hoping to make it a major part of their offensive game plan in 2019.

In 2018, out of the ten NFL teams with the most rushing yards, seven made the playoffs. Conversely, out of the teams with the ten lowest rushing totals in 2018, only one team – the Philadelphia Eagles – qualified for the postseason. Obviously, running the ball effectively makes a big difference.

The Lions made a significant leap in 2018 to 23rd place in overall rushing yardage, up from their dead last place finish the year before. Their running back corps has evolved significantly since then, and the Lions are looking for an even bigger improvement in 2019.

In addition to a fullback, the Lions are likely to keep four tailbacks on the roster, with three of them generally active on game day. With six players currently on the roster at the position, the competition could heat up towards the bottom of the depth chart. Some tricky decisions will need to be made.

Gaining yards on the ground is obviously a running back’s primary function. However, there are other smaller roles that need to be filled by the entire group, such as special teams contributions, receiving and pass protection. It’s a tricky puzzle that will be an important task for head coach Matt Patricia to put together in preparation for 2019.

So here, SideLion report examines each of the current running backs on the team, with their chances of making the 53-man roster come the start of the regular season. Some are virtual locks, while others have a long haul ahead of them this summer to prove that they should stick around.