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Detroit Lions: Top 5 offseason additions, post 2018 NFL Draft

By Russell S. Baxter

LANDOVER, MD - JANUARY 01: Outside linebacker Devon Kennard
LANDOVER, MD - JANUARY 01: Outside linebacker Devon Kennard /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 04: LeGarrette Blount #29 of the Philadelphia Eagles carries the ball for a 21-yard touchdown run during the second quarter against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 04: LeGarrette Blount #29 of the Philadelphia Eagles carries the ball for a 21-yard touchdown run during the second quarter against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

2. LeGarrette Blount, RB (from Philadelphia Eagles)

This is an organization that has seemingly been looking for a consistent ground attack for nearly two decades. Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders’ final NFL season was in 1998. Of course, every team in the league would love to have a player that finished with the third-most rushing yards in league history. For the Detroit Lions, be it by decision or lack of performance, it has been quite the disappointing stretch when it comes to establishing a running game.

Over the past four season, no team in the league has gained fewer yards on the ground than the Lions. And if you include playoff losses by the club in 2014 and ’16 to the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks, respectively, the Men from the Motor City have played in a total of 66 games the past four years. And Detroit has been limited to fewer than 100 yards rushing in all but 16 of those outings.

So general manager Bob Quinn and new head coach Matt Patricia brought in a veteran to join the likes of Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick, Dwayne Washington and Zach Zenner — as well as rookie Kerryon Johnson (more on him soon). LeGarrette Blount has been a part of three Super Bowl championship teams the past four seasons with the New England Patriots (2) and Philadelphia Eagles (1).

The former undrafted free agent has run for 5,888 yards and 51 scores in eight NFL campaigns. He can be a workhorse if need be but is well acquainted with a backfield-by-committee approach. In any case, Blount is the kind of runner that the Lions offense could use in a big way.

And speaking of that aforementioned rookie…

Next: No. 1

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