

The Detroit Lions are hunting to improve their jogging again place this offseason, and have gotten a leap on the process by doing the job out veteran runner Mike Gillislee. In accordance to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Community, Gillislee worked out for the Lions on Thursday as they try to believe about how they can insert to their backfield this offseason.

“The Lions hosted and worked out FA RB Mike Gillislee yesterday, supply stated. They have been one particular of the groups that called about signing him last calendar year. He performed in four video games with the Saints last calendar year,” Rapoport tweeted.

Gillislee was launched by the Patriots in the course of closing roster cuts just after staying defeat out by Jeremy Hill for the closing place in New England’s backfield and immediately identified a home in New Orleans. In four video games performed for the Saints, Gillislee totaled 43 yards on 16 carries with a fumble. He also caught his long focus on for 9 yards as star jogging again Alvin Kamara carried most of the load in New Orleans’ backfield.

Gillislee was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Dolphins out of Florida and expended two seasons with Miami right before heading up to Buffalo to join the Costs.

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Following signing a two-calendar year offer with New England in the 2016 offseason, the again expended all of last year and all of the preseason with New England in what was in the end an underwhelming tenure in Foxboro.

The again came out of the gate swinging in 7 days 1 of last calendar year as he rushed for three touchdowns versus the Chiefs, but it was definitely all downhill from there just after that. Gillislee struggled to find his footing in the Patriots’ backfield only hurrying for around 50-yards twice in a game and was in essence a non-variable down the extend operate to Tremendous Bowl LII as Dion Lewis immediately cemented himself as the lead again. On the calendar year, Gillislee totaled 383 yards hurrying on 3.68 yards for every have to go along with five touchdowns.

In the draft last calendar year, Detroit traded up from the 51 place with the Patriots in purchase to pick Kerryon Johnson up, and that transfer will assist supply a big increase to a group which struggles to operate the ball. Clearly, including Johnson to the blend will assist the Lions get the work accomplished a bit far better in a place they have struggled mightily in the current earlier with carrying out just this, and he’s their jogging again of the long term in Detroit. At the rear of him, they experienced LeGarrette Blount, Theo Riddick and Zach Zenner and it can be very clear the group may possibly be hunting to improve all-around that rotation for 2019.

Gillislee experienced some bounce when he was with the Patriots briefly, and we will see if the Lions elect to indicator him, insert another person else in absolutely free agency or make a transfer in the draft.

