ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that former Kansas City Chiefs running back Spencer Ware is visiting the Detroit Lions on Monday.
Ware was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft and spent his rookie year playing for the Lions offensive coordinator Darell Bevell. He didn’t see much action, only getting three carries, and was subsequently released in the following pre-season.
He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs but didn’t see the field again until 2015 where he played in 11 games, starting two. Ironically, his first game action came against the Lions in a route in London, England — where he scored his first career touchdown.
With Starter Jamal Charles nursing an ACL injury in 2016, Ware was inserted into a starting role, finishing the season with 14 starts, 921-yards rushing and 447-yards receiving on 33 catches. Expected to start again in 2017, Ware suffered a PCL injury in the pre-season, sat out the year in recovery and lost his starting job to Kareem Hunt.
When Hunt was waived in 2018, Ware regained his starting role once again but finished the season with a modest 246-yards on the ground and 224-yards receiving.
Ware is a ground-and-pound back who has a career average of 4.6 yards per carry, but he excels as a pass catcher (83-percent catch rate, 11.5-yards per reception) and pass blocker.
In Detroit Ware would compete for a reserve role with Theo Riddick and Zach Zenner behind starter Kerryon Johnson. If he signs with the Lions, it would allow the team to be patient in the draft when considering selecting a running back, while also providing them insurance if they don’t find the right value.
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