The Lions beefed up their backfield Friday night, signing veteran running back LeGarrette Blount to a one-year deal worth $4.5MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. 
Justin Rogers of the Detroit News tweets Blount’s deal is worth a $2MM base salary with an extra $2.5MM in incentives.
By joining Detroit, Blount reunites with new head coach Matt Patricia, who served as defensive coordinator of the Patriots when the running back was in New England.
Following his three-year run with the Pats, Blount joined the Eagles and produced 766 yards and two touchdowns in 2017. He helped Philadelphia claim its first Super Bowl title with a 41-33 win over New England.
The move gives Detroit something it hasn’t had in a long time — a physical back. In 2017, the team used Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick almost exclusively, giving the team a pair of solid pass catchers who lack between-the-tackles reliability. Blount should offer a solid change-of-pace to those backs.
The Lions ranked dead last in the NFL in rushing yards in 2017. That ranking is sure to improve with the signing of Blount.
[RELATED: Lions Depth Chart]
I love this signing. All Blount will do is help the worst running game in the league, especially in short yardage situations where the lions really have struggled of recent years
Lions could have drafted him in the 7th round 10 years ago when he went undrafted but I will take his goal line game. Bye bye Abdullah or Washington
Lions should draft a RB in the second or third round in a deep RB draft
That in addition to Blount should be the best backfield the lions have had in years.
Pretty bad this is our best signing
Totally agree. When this is the best signing of the FA period, we are in trouble. Can’t be a strong playoff team, if we continue to shop for bargain basement players. Annoying!!!
Most of the best teams in the NFL don’t build through free agency. They build through the draft and then pay your own star players to stay and only sign the filler pieces in free agency. That’s what Patricia and Bob Quinn know from the patriots and want to bring that to the lions
^^. It’s also easy to criticize the front office when the fans aren’t the ones directly facing the consequences. Front offices can’t afford to give out free agent contracts left and right to appease the fans’ because there is a salary cap and because the front office is the first group to get in trouble when the signings don’t pan out.
Agree diller.
You dont know what the f*ck you are talking about.
The Lions have so many holes that Free Agency is an absolute need for them to nail. They had a shot at a few really good players and didn’t get any. diller is off on this one.
Well that’s not the philosophy of the lions gm Bob Quinn and new HC Matt Patricia. They both learned in New England to build through the draft and sign smaller free agent pieces to fill the gaps and that’s what they are going to do in Detroit. So I think your the one who is off on this one.
Having a philosophy is all well and good, but if you become a slave to it, then you could end up with a winning drought similar to the Browns, who haven’t won anything meaningful since the 50s. To have longevity in any sport you have to be able to adapt to unexpected circumstances.
Quinn likes to sign small free agent pieces to fill gaps?
Marvin Jones. TJ Lang. Rick Wagner. Those guys are expansive.
Your 0 for 2 diller
Quinn is 2-0 in drafts so far and we need another solid one but with money to spend Lions could have added a few more weapons. You gotta do both not just the draft.
Quinn said the week before free agency started that they were going to target “2nd and 3rd tier free agents” because of lack of cap room and focusing on the draft so I’m just going off what has been said and not my emotions.
Anyone remember when Blount seemed washed up, went to NE, found a home, they didn’t resign him so he went to Pit, seemed washed up again then went back to NE and killed it again? I actually thought when he went to Phili he wasn’t going to do good but he seemed to be consistent to what he did in NE for phili. Hope the Lions her the NE and the Phili Blount and not the Tampa or Pit Blount. The Lions have had terrible luck with RB’s and I’d like to see Stafford finally have a back.
Well he won’t be winning the Super Bowl 3 years in a row.
Mid-season trade to Minnesota.
well he wont be winning the Super Bowl 3 years in a row.
Depends. If the Lions sign Chris Long as well, then it’s practically a lock!
He was the 2nd best guy IMO they brought in(I have always liked Gore). I agree with the consensus, will be a big upgrade to the dismal lions run game.
Terrible signing by the Lions!!!