Free agent running C.J. Prosise was among the group of players that worked out for the Lions today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Prosise, 26, worked with Detroit offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in Seattle from 2016-17, so he presumably has a grasp of the offense Bevell is deploying with the Lions. That could prove to be especially important in this COVID-shortened offseason when meeting and practice time is at a minimum.
The Lions don’t have a dire need for running back depth at the moment. Rookie D’Andre Swift and incumbent Kerryon Johnson will serve as the club’s top two options, while Bo Scarbrough is available in reserve. Johnson has missed plenty of time due to injury in his short career, though, so Prosise could become an emergency option.
The Seahawks drafted Prosise in the third round of the 2016 draft but were never able to find a regular role for him in their offense. In four seasons in Seattle, Prosise never topped more than 30 carries or 20 receptions. Last year, he played 123 offensive snaps but handled only 33 total touches.
Per the NFL’s transaction wire, Detroit also worked out running backs Troymaine Pope and Jonathan Williams, cornerbacks Brian Allen and Dominique Hatfield, center Erik Magnuson, and linebacker Avery Moss.
Was a great player at Notre Dame. Just couldn’t stay healthy in Seattle
I’m not sure why the Lions are bothering. They already have similar players in Ty Johnson and Jason Huntley as speedy scatbacks. That’s not even mentioning Kerryon, Swift, and Bo
True, it sounds to me like Prosise’s familiarity with Bevell is the selling point. He was a coaches’ favorite in Seattle, always talked up by Carroll (likely due to the influence of Bevell) after missing time or having an unproductive day. Prosise does offer pass catching ability, and that’s always been his strength in the limited time that he’s been available. Prosise isn’t bad, but he’s not necessarily a game changer. He is, however, the polar opposite of a Bo Scarborough, who certainly is not there to catch passes.
The Lions also have a young stud named Ty Johnson at RB.
Depth piece and a good one. If you follow Seattle’s season last year you’d see that we had depth at RB, but injuries decimated it, hence why Beast Mode was signed. Can’t ever have enough depth in the NFL.