Joique Bell Tries to Muscle Past Mikel Leshoure

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The Detroit Lions made a splash this offseason when they signed free agent running back Reggie Bush. Adding a dynamic receiving running back like Bush to the team was a big win for the Lions.

But the question that remains for fantasy owners is which running back will most often shadow Bush throughout the year? Some early reports indicate Joique Bell is making a strong case to pass Mikel Leshoure on the depth chart.

Lions head coach Jim Schwartz told The Detorit Free Press that he’s been very impressed with Bell’s work ethic during the offseason. Other reports have pointed out that Bell took several reps with the second team during OTAs and other practice sessions.

While no official depth chart will be set for weeks, the backup running back situation in Detroit may be something for fantasy owners to keep in the back of their mind. Bush has the talent — and the big contract — to warrant the majority of touches out of the backfield, but the former Heisman Trophy winner has dealt with injuries throughout his career. Although, it should be noted that Bush has played in all but one game over the past two seasons.

Should something happen to Bush, Bell made a good case to get the ball in limited work last year. He averaged five yards per carry on 82 attempts and made 52 catches for 485 yards.

Lions RB Mikel LeShoure Visited by Ghost of Injuries Past

Lions running back Mikel LeShoure has dealt with his fair share of injuries and it looks like some of them are coming back to haunt him. At this point, Detroit coach Jim Schwartz refuses to elaborate on the exact nature of LeShoure’s injury.

Schwartz will only say that LeShoure is having some issues, but is confident that he will be ready for the start of the season.

The Lions are committed to improving the team’s running attack with the recent acquisition of Reggie Bush out of Miami. LeShoure is still likely to play a major role in the team’s offense and should get plenty of chances to punch the ball in at the goal line.

With Bush as the lead back, LeShoure should be able to reduce some of the stress on his body, although this mystery injury is a concern. 

The Unfolding Saga of Geno Smith

The New York media loves to pick on the Jets, printing numerous headlines that are certainly SNL worthy. Their latest victim: quarterback Geno Smith. After being drafted number 39th overall, Smith has come under serious heat for his attitude and performance. Is this criticism warranted or is New York desperate for some drama?

The Smith takedown began even before he was drafted by the New York Jets. He was projected to go as a top five pick and was visibly disappointed when this didn’t happen. Critics were harsh on the fact that he was constantly checking his phone and was thinking about leaving before the second round.

Then Smith fired his agents shortly after being drafted by the Jets and the media tagged him with full “diva” status. Many pundits blamed Smith’s attitude for why he went so late in the draft.

It only seems fitting that Smith would go to the most dramatic team in the NFL. The Jets took on Smith to add him to a five person competition for the quarterback position. Even though Smith seems like a front runner, Mark Sanchez is definitely getting the most reps in. Smith still has a lot to learn before he can be the starting quarterback.

While he was at West Virginia University, Smith was surrounded by a supporting cast that really helped him to succeed. In New York, the offensive line isn’t exactly the cream of crop and he will need time to readjust to the type of athletes he is working with. Smith must learn how to play to their strengths as well as hide their weaknesses. His footwork has also come into question during his combine as well as his first practice.

This is something that is easily fixable over the needs time to learn the West Coast Offense run by offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. The Jets made the mistake of letting Sanchez on to the field before he had truly been comfortable in the offense. It looks like they won’t be making this mistake again.

If the Jets choose to sit Smith this upcoming season, he will reap the benefits of learning from a veteran quarterback as well as know the playbook inside out. Since Smith went so late in the draft, it seems as though many teams thought he wasn’t ready to be an instant star.

All of this negativity surrounds Smith and he hasn’t had his first start. His combine proved to be sensational, with 60 of 64 passes completed and the quickest time out of all the quarterbacks for the 40-yard dash. His current teammates have nothing but good things to say about him and he handles the press like a pro. If anything, Smith is his own worst critic, giving himself an F for his first work out performance.  While he did get yelled at a couple of times for not running the offense correctly, he definitely did not earn an F.

The Jets should be looking to get rid of Sanchez in a couple of years now that they have Smith in their hands. His arms strength and athleticism surpass the other four quarterbacks, including Sanchez. Smith should do well for the Jets and when his time comes, it’s a real possibility that he can lead them to bigger and better things. We can only hope that he doesn’t become the ringleader of the Jets’ circus.

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