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Is there a third candidate for significant playing time in Detroit’s backfield?

Maybe.

Brian Calhoun, the former third-round pick who’s battled knee injuries thus far in his career, says he expects to be a lot more productive in the new zone-blocking scheme the team is implementing.

"I'm confident in my ability and what I can do," says Calhoun in today’s Detroit Free Press. "I think now that we have the system in place that's going to be able to show what I can do, it's going to give me a better chance to perform at a high level."

Calhoun catches the ball a lot better than Tatum Bell or rookie Kevin Smith, so perhaps he’ll play on third downs. The Lions also will take Artose Pinner and Aveion Cason to training camp.

I still expect Kevin Smith – their third-round pick this year – to be their main running back. If Smith struggles to pick things up, you could see a committee approach, with Bell playing a big role.

To read today’s article on Calhoun, written by Nicholas J. Cotsonika, go to the website of the Detroit Free Press.

—Ian Allan

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