Lions' Dwayne Washington: Showing significant improvement

Lions running backs coach David Walker said Washington has "done a 180" after inconsistent play landed him on the bench as a rookie, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Washington was thrust into a significant role as soon as Week 3 of his rookie season last year, matching Theo Riddick for the team lead with 10 carries in a game against the Packers. Of the two, Washington was the more productive, rushing for 38 yards compared to nine for Riddick. However, after that, Washington struggled with the rigors and the speed of the professional game and was ultimately relegated to a special-teams role. With his first full offseason training program under his belt, Washington should be more prepared for action if injuries strike the Lions' lead runners again. He certainly has the physical tools -- 6-foot-2, 226 pounds with a 4.44 40, 21 reps in the bench press, 37-inch vertical and 127-inch broad jump. Moreover, Washington played WR in high school and converted to running back in college, when he received only 223 attempts over three years. There's room to grow for Washington, and if he can capitalize on his physical talent, he might wrest the No. 3 RB job away from Zach Zenner.