Ronnie Brown to Detroit Lions Trade: Why Former Eagles RB Is Huge Add

With starting running back Jahvid Best dealing with a concussion, the Detroit Lions orchestrated a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to snag Ronnie Brown for Jerome Harrison and a 2013 draft pick.

While there's still a chance that Best could take the field against the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday, it's clear that the Lions want more than just Maurice Morris to supplement their shaky run offense. Best has just one game over 100 yards so far this season, and he didn't come anywhere close to that number on the remaining five.

Brown had been hamstrung by an Eagles running game that hinges solely on LeSean McCoy and, to a lesser extent, quarterback Michael Vick; he has just 13 carries for 38 yards on the season. He will likely see much greater success in Detroit, where he will have ample opportunity to carry the ball, even when Best is fully healthy.

Harrison was a stopgap add for the Lions in the offseason. They clearly had a need at the position after 2011 draft pick Mikel Leshoure tore his Achilles tendon in training camp, but the opportunity to upgrade to Brown was the wiser choice than trying to develop Harrison.

Harrison was a healthy scratch in Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers, not a good sign for his future with the team. Now that he's back with the Eagles, he can continue on the path he was on during his first stint—insurance for McCoy and little else.

Brown, while a year older than Harrison, is larger and has significantly more burst. This is exactly what the Lions need to supplement their struggling running game. The fact that they could get him for practically nothing—a late-round pick over a year from now and a rusher they weren't planning on using—makes this trade a great move for Detroit.