NFC North news: Eagles claim former Lions RB Kerryon Johnson

Johnson find himself as the odd man out in Detroit.

The writing was on the wall for Kerryon Johnson last year after the Lions invested a second-round pick on D’Andre Swift, just two years after drafting Johnson in the same round.

The Lions placed Johnson on waivers and the Eagles have claimed him, giving them depth behind Miles Sanders.

Johnson was solid in his rookie season with Detroit, running for 641 yards (5.4 yards per carry) to go with another 213 receiving yards.

Knee injuries played a part in limited Johnson to just eight games in 2019. While Johnson was healthy enough to play all 16 games last season with Detroit, he only ran the ball 52 times.

It’s a sign that Detroit is going all in on Swift, a player who had nearly 900 yards from scrimmage as a rookie.

It seems unlikely that Adrian Peterson, who is a free agent after running for more than 600 yards last season, will return to the Lions. Peterson is looking to contribute to a Super Bowl contender.