The Detroit Lions plan to keep depth in their backfield ahead of the start of free agency.
The organization announced Thursday that it had signed running back Zonovan Knight, bringing him back after he was poised to become an exclusive rights free agency this offseason.
The contract’s terms were not immediately disclosed, but generally, exclusive rights tenders are one-year deals for the league minimum. As a result, Knight will not be eligible for free agency, which begins on March 13. Knight’s first season in Motown was cut short when he sustained a season-ending injury in his second game.
He had three carries for 13 yards and one reception for eight yards. The North Carolina State product signed with the Lions’ practice squad after being cut by the New York Jets.
He was finally added to the active roster after starter David Montgomery sustained an injury against Seattle in Week 2. He offered depth for the Lions moving forward since Montgomery missed Week 3 and was a healthy scratch in Week 4.
After Jahmyr Gibbs was injured, Knight was activated for the Week 5 win over Carolina, when he sustained his season-ending injury. In seven games with the Jets in 2022, Knight carried 85 times for 300 yards and one score.
He also grabbed 13 passes totaling 100 yards. Knight will likely fight for reps with Craig Reynolds as Detroit’s third running back. In 2023, the Lions nearly had two 1,000-yard rushers, as Montgomery hit the mark and rookie Jahmyr Gibbs finished with 945 yards.
In his first NFL season, Gibbs accumulated over 1,000 all-purpose yards, demonstrating a dynamic skill set.
