Detroit Lions would be foolish to play Kerryon Johnson again in 2019

Detroit Lions starting running back Kerryon Johnson is set to rejoin the team Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

Kerryon Johnson, for the second straight year, has missed significant time due to various injuries.  With two games remaining in the season, he is expected to play tomorrow against the Denver Broncos in a game that means absolutely nothing to the Detroit Lions or the Broncos for that matter.

Why would Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia put their starting running back out onto the football field after he’s missed half of the season behind a banged-up offensive line and beside the team’s third-string quarterback?

It simply doesn’t make sense.

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Sure, if you ask the player if they want to be out there, the answer 99% of the time is going to be yes.  This is what they do; they are programmed this way.  They want to be out on the field of battle with their teammates, doing what they’ve done their entire life.

For Kerryon Johnson, who’s failed to remain healthy nearly all his football life dating back to high school, again in college and now two years as a professional, I’m not sure why the Lions would allow him back onto the football field in 2019.

Injuries happen, it’s part of the game, but for Johnson, injuries are becoming a major concern.  He hasn’t shown the ability to remain healthy. Coming out of Aubrun, there were some health concerns that we all knew about.  Would his body hold up to the gruesome beating of NFL hits?

During his rookie season, Johnson merely played in 10 games averaging a phenomenal 5.4 yards per carry.  That proved there is plenty of talent there and gave us fans plenty of hope entering the 2019 season.

Through the first 16 games of his career, Johnson has rushed for 949 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Unfortunately, the production diminished during his first six games of the season as he was only able to muster a disappointing 3.3 yards/carry behind an offensive line that struggles to run block.  We immediately point to the OL, but Bo Scarbrough has nearly out rushed Johnson in just four games averaging 4.2 yards/carry.

Scarbrough made his NFL debut with the Lions during a week 11 date with the Cowboys and gained 52 of his 55 yards after contact.  Perhaps Scarbrough has a future with the Lions playing as Detroit’s RB1B to Kerryon Johnson’s 1A.

There is no need for either back to play in the final two games of the season.  Scarbrough is knicked up with a rib injury, and while Johnson is once again healthy, Detroit should proceed with caution.  Johnson should be preparing for the offseason rather than trying to prove himself with the Lions second/third-string players to close out the season.

With Ty Johnson not performing very well in his rookie season, the Detroit Lions will likely be interested in drafting another back or potentially signing one in free agency to add to this group.