Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said after the team signed running back Reggie Bush in free agency that they wanted to use Bush in a similar fashion to the way he was used during his time with the New Orleans Saints.
That role included lining up in the slot and being a pass catching threat out of the backfield. The hope for Bush next season is to be a productive cog in the Lions passing game while carving out a role for him. According to the Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website, Schwartz believes Bush could wind up catching between 60-80 passes for the Lions next season.
Lions running backs caught 97 passes last season with Joique Bell catching 52 passes for 485 yards. Bush has caught 70-plus passes twice before during his first two seasons in the league with the New Orleans Saints. Bush caught 88 passes for 742 yards in 2006 and 73 passes for 417 yards in 2007.
With Matthew Stafford at the helm, the Lions have been a pass-first team in recent seasons anyway. If Bush is able to stay healthy, it’s not out of the question to believe he’d be able to achieve those numbers again.