The Detroit Lions are without question one of the more intriguing teams in the NFC, and there is no telling what should be expected from them at this point in time. One of the biggest question marks on their roster right now is at the running back position, as they don’t have anyone who is head and shoulders above the rest. Rookie running back Ameer Abdullah has been making a strong impression during training camp early on, and could make a push to start.
Outside of Abdullah, the Lions have a couple other options that could end up starting for them. Joique Bell is the only one of those two options that could beat out Abdullah for the starting job, and there is a decent chance that he will be able to do just that.
Whether or not Abdullah starts at running back or is the primary backup, he is going to have a role with the Lions this year. His rookie season isn’t all about winning a starting job, it is about learning the game and figuring out what he needs to work on the most. There is no question that he has the potential to be a starter at some point in the near future if not this season.
During the 2014 season with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Abdullah was one of the top running backs in the nation. He ended up carrying the football 264 times for 1,611 yards and 19 touchdowns. Abdullah also caught 22 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns on the season.
Looking ahead at the 2015 season for the Lions, they aren’t going to be a running team. Matthew Stafford is going to be given the keys to the offense, and they have brought in plenty of dangerous targets for him. Whoever ends up starting at running back is going to get around 15 carries a game, although some weeks may see that player get a few more than that.
All of that being said, it is going to be interesting to see what ends up happening at the position for the Lions. Starting a rookie certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing, especially if Abdullah can continue his strong early play.
Expect to hear plenty more news come out of Detroit about the rookie running over the next few weeks as the season continues to draw closer.
