The Evolution of Theo Riddick
In 1989 the Detroit Lions selected the greatest player in franchise history. With the 3rd pick of the NFL Draft the Lions took Heisman-winning running back Barry Sanders out of Oklahoma State. Sanders electrified ten NFL for 10 seasons, making 10 Pro Bowls, winning Rookie of the Year 1989, Most Valuable Player in 1997, and four rushing titles. He never rushed for less than 1,000 yards in any season and joined the 2,000 yard club in 1997. He was the bright light on some good Lions teams and some bad, helping carry Detroit to its only NFC Championship Game. He is by any measure the greatest player to ever don a Lions jersey.
When Sanders abruptly retired, the Lions struggled to carve themselves an identity. They struggled even more to find a competent replacement in the backfield. That was not only because of Sanders’ unique talent, but because of the way the game was changing. As the league shifted to a pass-first game, the value of running backs began to diminish.
Since Sanders retired the Lions have had four 1,000 yard rushers in total. Kevin Jones had promise and James Stewart was a decent fill in, but no one could take over a game the way Sanders did. The next Detroit football icon would become a wide receiver built like a defensive end better known by his Transformer nickname. My, the times they were a changin’.
Now as Detroit enters the 2016 season on the heels of another abrupt superstar retirement, an identity search begins again. It is easy to look to incumbent starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, the de facto face of the franchise. Ezekiel Ansah is a budding star on the defensive side of the field, terrorizing quarterbacks with his relentless rush. Golden Tate is the most productive returning skill player on offense, a player we will learn this season of whether or not he is capable of top receiver billing.
The most important player though? A former 6th-round draft pick that looks five years older than he is.
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Theo Riddick is the Detroit Lions Swiss Army Knife safety-blanket that seems to always be open. Behind an offensive line that couldn’t stop traffic with a police escort, Stafford often found himself in the unenviable position of having to check down early in his reads. Fortunately, Riddick was there to turn lost plays into positive gains.
Leading all backs in receptions with 80, Riddick showed he was not just a valuable part of the Lions offense, but maybe it’s greatest mismatch in life after Megatron. Linebackers and safeties struggled to keep pace and pulling the extra linebacker or defensive linemen off the field for a corner made the Detroit offensive line look competent. He is never going to be a bruiser between the tackles and I am not suggesting he is the second coming of Barry, but I do believe a lot of 2016 success rides on his comparatively diminutive NFL shoulders.
Marvin Jones and Golden Tate do not strike the fear of God into defensive coordinators. Tate is an exceptional slot weapon that requires special attention, but that attention may be available this year sans Johnson. Whether Marvin Jones looks as good in Honolulu Blue as he did opposite A.J. Green remains to be seen.
Theo Riddick, though, will be playing the same role against the same match-ups as last season. The biggest difference is whoever has the unenviable task of sticking with him will likely have to do so for a tick longer as the Lions revamped their porous offensive line. If bulky linebackers and safeties struggled sticking with him on an option route last season, imagine what the extra half-to-full second may do.
This makes Riddick not only a golden ticket sure to still slide in most PPR fantasy leagues, but also makes up for the considerable loss of Calvin Johnson. He has the chance to complete his transformation from 6th-round afterthought to Pro Bowl caliber back simply by being the new age running back so many teams covet.
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