Lions Add RB Raheem Blackshear After Tryout, Waive Keys

The Lions dipped into the back of the running back pool Tuesday, signing Raheem Blackshear after he auditioned in a tryout. To clear the spot, Detroit waived wide receiver Lawrence Keys with an injury designation. It's the kind of transaction that barely registers on the news cycle but tells you plenty about how a roster is being built in August.

Blackshear isn't a total unknown. He logged 41 games with the Panthers from 2022 through 2024, piling up 52 carries for 203 yards and three touchdowns while doubling as a returner. The catch: he didn't take a single regular-season snap last season, which is why he's out here running tryouts instead of holding a job.

That return experience is probably the whole story here. A back who can spell on special teams and hold a bottom-of-the-depth-chart spot is exactly what teams shop for this time of year. He's competing for a role, not a starting gig.

The Camp Battle Underneath

Blackshear wasn't the only name Detroit kicked the tires on. The Lions also worked out running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Hassan Haskins and Kylin James on Tuesday, which paints a clear picture: this is a team stress-testing its RB depth rather than solving a real problem at the top. Whoever wins these snaps is fighting for a helmet on game day, not a fantasy relevance badge.

For dynasty and deep-league managers, none of this moves the needle right now. Blackshear has never cracked meaningful touches, and Detroit's backfield hierarchy sits well above the players auditioning this week. A signing like this is roster maintenance, plain and simple.

The fantasy verdict: watch and move on. Blackshear is worth a mental note only if injuries thin out Detroit's backfield and he sticks through cuts — otherwise he's a special-teams flyer, not a waiver-wire target. Keep your FAAB in your pocket.