Running back Jahvid Best’s concussion issues took away a versatile threat from the Lions offense, but wide receiver Nate Burleson thinks that threat has returned in the guise of running back Reggie Bush.
During an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Burleson said that Bush is as fast as he’s ever been and that he envisions opposing defenses getting stretched out trying to account for Bush without opening up too many other doors for the Lions. That element, which Burleson compares to watching a live action video game, is something that the Lions wanted to get from Bush and Burleson says the team is pleasantly surprised by what’s
“He’s everything we expected him to be and more,” Burleson said. “I knew he was a good running back. I knew he could catch the ball out of the backfield. But when he motions and gets into the slot or goes on the outside and runs a route, he didn’t look like a running back running a route. He looked like a receiver running a route. And that’s a really big difference and for people who know football, they know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Unbridled optimism is in full bloom all around the league in the sleepy days before camp and much of it winds up being forgotten before the first month of the season is out, but you can understand the excitement of the return of a home run hitter in the backfield after last year’s struggles without Best. Bush is going to get every chance to make his mark on the Lions offense and his success or failure to live up to the advance billing will have a large effect on how well the team performs in 2013.