4 players the Lions could sell before the trade deadline

Kerryon Johnson, Running Back

When the Lions drafted running back Kerryon Johnson, he was seen as a potential fixture in the backfield and a solution to the team’s ever failing rushing attack.

In his rookie season, he showed tons of promise averaging 5.4 yards a carry but his sophomore season was mired by injuries and poor performance that people seemed to have lost faith in the former second round pick.

This season, Johnson’s been buried on the depth chart by a veteran running back in Adrian Peterson and rookie D’Andre Swift. He’s yet to play more than 50% of offensive snaps with his highest output being 32% and has only started two of six games. Every game that passes by, he’s been more and more on the bench than on the field playing.

So far in the 2020 season, he has just 80 rush yards on 25 attempts with his longest run being nine yards as well as one touchdown. In the passing attack, he’s been targeted just five times catching three of those for just 28 yards.

Johnson would be an option for teams in need of depth at the running back position with the Seattle Seahawks seemingly being the only team in need due to the injuries they have suffered at the position.

The Chicago Bears could also use a depth piece at the running back position but they won’t trade him to a division rival due to both teams competing for the playoffs and the fact that Johnson is under control until the 2022 season. The Lions would be able to get no more than a day three pick for trading Johnson.