NFL Free Agency: Detroit Lions Will Pursue Reggie Bush
By Josh Hill
The Detroit Lions are one of many teams that will look to free agency to fill some holes on their roster and one place that has been in flux for the Lions is running back. Mikel Leshoure failed to impress the way the Lions would have liked him to and Jahvid Best’s career appears to be over. So the question becomes what will the Lions do in free agency to help give Matthew Stafford’s backfield a boost.
According to the Detroit Free Press the Lions interest in running back Reggie Bus appears to be “real” and he’s likely going to be one of the Lions top target when free agency kicks off March 12th.
"It might take $5 million or so a year to land the speedy running back, and Bush’s desired destination isn’t known. But the Lions’ M.O. in recent years has been to try to surround Matthew Stafford with as much talent as possible (drafting Jahvid Best, Titus Young, Mikel Leshoure, Riley Reiff and Ryan Broyles, etc.), and that’s not about to change. – Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press"
There was a report from the Miami Herald that the Dolphins would try to re-sign Bush but if he heads back to Miami he’d be splitting carries and have a reduced role. That may also be the case in Detroit, but as bad as the Lions were last season they’re much closer to being a contender than the Dolphins are right now and adding Bush makes them even more dangerous.
Bush would likely compete for the starting job but the most likely scenario sees him splitting carries with Leshoure. Even if he is in a reduced role with the Lions, a backfield of Leshoure and Bush is something that instantly makes the Lions offense more potent.
Bush is bound to have more than a few suitors in free agency but the Lions appear to be serious about making a run at him which, as Birkett points out, is right in line with the Lions current M.O.