Lions' Leshoure: 'Looks like I'll be involved a little more' than last season
Detroit Lions running back Mikel Leshoure expects to play a bigger role in the offense this season.
"I can't tell you [what my role will be] during OTAs, but it looks like I'll be involved a little more that last year so far," Leshoure told MLive. "As far as the role, I don't know. That could change weekly. But I think I'll be more involved than last year obviously."
Leshoure was a second-round pick of the Lions in 2011. He led the team in rushing with 798 yards and nine touchdowns in 2012, but the signing of Reggie Bush and the emergence of Joique Bell diminished Leshoure's role.
He carried the ball twice for nine yards over three games last season.
New offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi often employed three running backs in his previous job, which could explain why Leshoure believes his role will increase.
"It's a new beginning," he said. "It's a lot of running plays. [Lombardi] comes from New Orleans, where backs rotated a lot. We know we're going to run the ball here, and I'm excited by the opportunity."
Leshoure's primary competition (beyond Bush and Bell) comes from sixth-round pick Theo Riddick, who also contributes on special teams.