Dave Brikett of the Detroit Free Press writes that Lions RB Mikel Leshoure is entering the “final stages” of his rehab after tearing his Achilles tendon last season.
Leshoure had been rehabbing in Arizona but has recently relocated to Detroit where he’s doing “resistance work and light running.”
The Lions are looking forward to getting him back on the field and ready for the 2012 season as the running back position was a big concern after losing both Leshoure and Jahvid Best.
Jahvid Best
Speaking of Best, Lions president Tom Lewand mentioned that Best should be ready for the Lions offseason program, per Dave Birkett.
Best suffered a concussion that wound up keeping him out for the remainder of the 2011 season. Considering his past experience with concussions, there were questions about whether or not he would play again. Best has since mentioned that he expects to return next season but the Lions may decide to use him in a more limited role within the team’s offense.
Free Agents
Lions president Tom Lewand held a press conference with season ticket holders today and discussed some of their plans for free agency, via the Oakland Press.
Lewand mentioned that they have already had preliminary discussions with unrestricted free agents: Cliff Avril, Eric Wright, Jeff Backus and Stephen Tulloch.
Detroit has made it known that they intend to keep all of their free agents despite having $1.47 million in cap space. There are a lot of variables that factor into a team’s cap number so the Lions could inflate that number some and get creative with their contracts but it will be very difficult to retain all of the before mentioned players and lockup Calvin Johnson at the same time.
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