Mike James Is Depth At Running Back For The Detroit Lions.
Were you asking yourself “which Lions running back was it that went for 158 yards on 28 carries against Seattle at one point in his career?” If so you’ve got the kind of inquisitive nature that should lead you to send the higher ups at this site a writing sample and get a gig writing here. If you are like the billions of other people on earth that don’t have out loud conversations in empty rooms, then just let me tell you.
Mike James, who signed to the Detroit Lions practice squad on Oct 3, 2016, is that running back. On November 3, 2013 James filled in for an injured Doug Martin and had the day of his life. He even threw a touchdown pass in the second quarter.
What Can Mike James Do?
James is the kind of runner that the Lions desperately need to have on the roster, a human bowling ball that hits holes with reckless abandon. Whether you look at his carries as a pro, or the available college footage from his days at Miami, it is clear that James is capable of contributing in the passing game, and he makes his money on offense as a between the tackles runner. He lacks the speed to get to the edge, and isn’t going to juke a defender out of their shoes, but he may knock them off. James will get whatever the offensive line can get him plus however far he can drag the first tackler in most cases.
Mike James may not make the Lions 53-man roster, but there is a reason that Bob Quinn kept him aboard after the 2016 season. He is a 25 year old player that has been fairly effective when he has played, but has only had 23 carries in the last two years. He won’t replace Ameer Abdullah, but I could see a camp battle between James, Zach Zenner, and Dwayne Washington developing for the power back role if there are no further additions to the group. James also lined up as a fullback in college, and might find a role that way if the Lions were to decide not to keep a dedicated fullback. The team used Michael Burton for fewer than 100 snaps last season.
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