NFL: 30 running backs who got better after leaving their first team

When Reggie Bush was drafted at No. 2 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2006 NFL Draft, he was viewed as a dynamic threat that could score anytime he touched the football. His rookie year was filled with highlights, including 88 catches and eight total touchdowns.

Whether it was in the backfield, out wide as a receiver, or as a returner, Bush was a valuable asset for New Orleans in his five seasons with the franchise. The former USC Trojans legend won a ring in 2009 with the Saints, scoring a pair of touchdowns in the NFC Divisional Round victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

As good as a contributor Bush was early on in his career, he didn’t have the impact on the ground as a No. 2 overall running back pick maybe should have. So he went to the Miami Dolphins as a free agent to help jumpstart their running game.

He was able to do that in 2011, going over the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his NFL career. Bush was able to show that he can carry the load as the first and second-down back for a team. As he got older and his body took on hits, Bush lost some of his elite athleticism and elusiveness, but his ability to move between the hash marks grew.

Even after going to the Detroit Lions, Bush was still able to get another 1,000-yard season on his résumé in 2013. That turned out to be his last year of major production, playing for both the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills for a season before retiring in 2017.

Did Bush’s career warrant a No. 2 overall pick? Saints fans might say, “yes” because it helped them win a Super Bowl. Even though no one will ever view him as an elite runner in the game, Bush did prove at both stops in Miami and Detroit that he could be a traditional bell-cow back in the NFL.