RB Rudi Johnson says the Lions are "years away" from being decent. Johnson spent last season with the Lions as they became the first NFL team to go 0-16. He is a free agent and not expected to return. In an interview on Sirius NFL Radio, he was asked if the Lions have a foundation with new coach Jim Schwartz, if they had the right players or if they were just years away from being decent. "Years away," Johnson said. "Definitely. I would say years away from being a competitive team in the NFL. So I wish them the best of luck." Why? "When you get that far off, there's not just one thing that plays a part in it. If you go 0-16, it's not just the players, it's not just the coaches, it's not just the organization. It's everything from top to bottom. It's not just one thing, it's everything." 02/06/2009

Johnson averaged just 2.2 yards per carry in a 12-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, carrying the ball 17 times for 38 yards. Those 38 yards were the second best total for Johnson in a game this season.
10/14/2008