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Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson won’t be in consideration for offensive rookie of the year. Despite finishing with the second-highest yards per carry in the league amongst running backs (5.4), the Lions rookie suffered an injury that cost him the final six games of the season.
But that doesn’t mean he didn’t make an impression during his rookie season. A couple former NFL back raved about Johnson’s season this week at Radio Row for the Super Bowl.
First, there’s Hall of Fame running back Ladainian Tomlinson, who had this to say about Johnson:
Hall of Fame RB LaDainian Tomlinson on #Lions RB @AyeyoKEJO: “I was impressed with Kerryon. I really was. I think he showed enough where you can say, ‘This is a kid that can be our guy.' https://t.co/6aCGQefQfl
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) January 30, 2019
Additionally, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press talked with former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson, who said the Lions have a franchise running back in Kerryon.
“He is a franchise back,” Robinson said. “You don’t necessarily have to run the sub-4.3 to be a franchise back. You have to be dependable, you have to be the same guy every single day and you must protect the quarterback.“
So did Kerryon check all those boxes?
“He did it better than some veterans,” Robinson said.
I highly recommend watching that interview with Robinson, as he also talks about the Lions’ new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.
- It looks like Kerryon really appreciated some of those words, especially from Tomlinson:
Fun Fact: LT is the reason i started wearing number 21 so basically this just made my entire life https://t.co/DvWNtrOCSy
— Kerryon Johnson (@AyeyoKEJO) January 30, 2019
- The Detroit Lions apparently reached out to Charlie Weis about the offensive coordinator job, but talks never developed into an official interview or offering of the job.
- Lions tight end Luke Willson joined former Lions defensive end Cliff Avril over at Radio Row this week. They don’t really talk much about the Lions, but Willson is an entertaining listen:
- PFF has an interesting list of pending free agents that are going to get overpaid this offseason, including one player that could interest the Lions.
- Linebacker is an underrated need for the Lions, so Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire looked at an intriguing prospect in this year’s draft: Buffalo’s Khalil Hodge.