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A day after the Detroit Lions officially parted ways from former second-round pick Kerryon Johnson, the 24-year-old running back was claimed by the Philadelphia Eagles, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter via Johnson’s agent Drew Rosenhaus. Because the Eagles claimed him, they absorb the final year of his rookie contract, worth around $1.4 million in salary for 2021.
Johnson will join former teammates Darius Slay, Travis Fulgham, Jason Huntley—who he will once again share a backfield with—and Aaron Siposs in Philadelphia.
As for the Lions, it appears they will enter offseason workouts with a battle for the third-string running back job. With D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams firmly entrenched in the top two spots of the depth chart, the Lions will have three rookies competing behind them: seventh-round pick Jermar Jefferson, as well as UDFAs Dedrick Mills and Rakeem Boyd.
The league announced this week that the Lions’ offseason team activities will begin on May 25, with rookie minicamp beginning next week.