Ahead of the commencement of free agency, the Detroit Lions plan to keep depth in their backfield.
On Thursday, the team revealed that running back Zoran Knight has returned, signing him as an exclusive rights free agent ahead of this summer.
Although the contract’s terms were not immediately publicized, exclusive rights tenders typically involve one-year agreements for the league minimum. As a result, Knight will not enter free agency, which opens on March 13.
Knight’s first Motown season was cut short after he sustained a season-ending injury in the team’s second game. He gained 13 yards on just three carries and eight yards from one pass reception.
After being waived by the New York Jets, the N.C. State product signed with the practice squad of the Lions. Eventually, in Week 2, after starting David Montgomery was hurt versus Seattle, he was added to the active roster.
As Montgomery would miss Week 3, he gave the Lions depth moving forward, and in Week 4, he was a healthy scratch. Knight’s season-ending injury occurred during the Week 5 victory over Carolina, following the injury sustained by Jahmyr Gibbs.
In 2022, Knight ran 85 times for 300 yards and one touchdown in seven games with the Jets. For 100 yards, he also caught 13 passes.
As Detroit’s third running back, Knight and Craig Reynolds will probably want to get more reps. In 2023, Montgomery eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs finished with 945 yards on the ground, almost putting the Lions in position to have two 1,000-yard rushers.
In his rookie season in the NFL, Gibbs demonstrated a dynamic skill set with over 1,000 all-purpose yards.
