The Detroit Lions make the right choice with Paul Perkins
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Lions didn’t get much production from veteran power back C.J. Anderson through the first two weeks of the regular season. The Lions were awarded, Paul Perkins from the New York Giants off of waivers. In a corresponding move, the organization has parted ways with Anderson.
The Detroit Lions must have seen too many similarities in C.J. Anderson as they did with LeGarrette Blount just a year ago. I understand it’s a small sample size for Anderson this season, but the organization didn’t wait long to pull the trigger on the move.
Anderson was just averaging a mere 2.7 yards per carry on only 16 totes though the first two weeks. C.J. wasn’t able to find much running room behind a lackluster Lions offensive line during the preseason, and that remained the case early this season. Anderson doesn’t give the Lions any contribution on special teams.
He’s not a prominent pass catcher. He won’t help the Lions on third down. He was primarily here to mentor the young backs in the film room and give Kerryon Johnson a breather on first and second down. His inability to get into a rhythm quickly allowed for the explosive rookie Ty Johnson to overtake the RB2 role in the week two victory over the L.A. Chargers.
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For the record, Kerryon Johnson hasn’t been able to find much running room behind this makeshift offensive line either. Last year Johnson averaged a league-high 5.4 yards per carry in ten games played. This season, through two games his average is down a whopping 2.2 yards per tote. In two starts this season, Kerryon has carried the rock 28 times for only 90 yards, good for only 3.2 YPC.
Matt Patricia and Darrell Bevell must see something in Paul Perkins to quickly make the switch. Perkins remained sidelined all of last season with a torn pectoral muscle. He hasn’t carried the football in a regular-season game since 2017. In ’17 he only recorded 41 carries for 90 yards, averaging 2.2 yards per carry–or not good. He added 8 catches for 46 yards. He’s yet to score a touchdown in the NFL.
In Perkins’ rookie season he flashed hope, making 112 carries totaling 456 yards, good for an average of 4.1 YPC. He also made 15 grabs for 162 yards. The New York Giants drafted Paul Perkins in the 5th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He joined the league way of the university of UCLA where he amassed 4227 total yards of offense, scoring 29 touchdowns in three seasons.
The Detroit Lions will shuffle the backfield behind Kerryon Johnson. After Ty Johnson, J.D McIsaac and Paul Perkins will compete for RB3 work.
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The Giants are simply terrible. They are going through a rebuild and are cleaning the house. Perkins hadn’t been active in either of the Giants first two regular-season games. There aren’t many carries to go around when you have Saquon Barkley in the backfield. Eli Manning has likely seen his last snap in the National Football League barring an injury to newly appointed starting quarterback rookie Daniel Jones who they selected sixth overall in the 2019 draft.