Sunday open thread: Was letting go of Theo Riddick the right move?

In a corresponding move to the Mike Daniels signing, the Detroit Lions released running back Theo Riddick nearly an hour before the start of practice on Saturday. The move came as a shock to many, as some believed Riddick still had a role with this team.

It was clear that running back depth was a weakness of the Lions heading into the offseason, so they went out and signed C.J. Anderson as Kerryon Johnson’s backup and drafted Ty Johnson in the sixth round to add some extra speed to the backfield. Apparently this was enough for the team to feel comfortable with what they have outside of Riddick to allow them to move in a different direction.

Was it the right move?

Personally, I was beginning to question whether Riddick fit a role on this team even before this move was made. Riddick is essentially a one trick pony—albeit very good at that one trick—that doesn’t really fit the mold of the current direction of the Lions, who seem to value versatility more than anything.

Without Riddick, the Lions will likely rely heavily on Kerryon as their top pass catching back, with the possibility of Ty Johnson getting in on some of those opportunities as well due to his speed, though he only caught 29 passes in four years during his collegiate career.