ALLEM PARK, Mich., March 25 (UPI) -- Seeking a reliable backup to James Stewart, the Detroit Lions on Tuesday signed running back Shawn Bryson to a one-year contract.
Bryson, 26, will compete with Luke Staley, Aveion Cason and Rafael Cooper in training camp. The 31-year-old Stewart is Detroit's feature back, rushing for 1,021 yards and catching 46 passes for 333 yards last season.
The 6-1, 228-pound Bryson played in a reserve role for the Buffalo Bills last season, but suffered a season-ending knee injury while playing special teams in an Oct. 13 win at Houston.
A third-round pick out of Tennessee in 1999, Bryson missed his entire rookie year with torn knee ligaments. His best season came in 2000 when he started seven of 16 games and rushed for 591 yards.
In 2001, Bryson started the final three games of the season for an injured Travis Henry and made the most of his opportunity, rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in a Dec. 23 game at Atlanta and 107 yards on 28 carries in a Dec. 30 game at the New York Jets.
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BUFFALO BILLS TEAM REPORT
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2002 Record: 8-8, 4th place in AFC East
Coach: Gregg Williams (2nd year)
Results:
Sun, Sep. 8 --
L vs. NY Jets, 37-31 (OT)
Sun, Sep. 15 -- W at Minnesota, 45-39 (OT)
Sun, Sep. 22 -- L at Denver, 28-23 Sun, Sep. 29 -- W vs.
Chicago, 33-27 (OT)
Sun, Oct. 6 -- L vs. Oakland, 49-31 Sun, Oct. 13 -- W at
Houston, 31-24 Sun, Oct. 20 -- W at Miami, 23-10 Sun, Oct. 27
-- W vs. Detroit, 24-17 Sun, Nov. 3 -- L vs. New England, 38-7
Sun, Nov. 10 -- Bye Sun, Nov. 17 -- L at Kansas City, 17-16
Sun, Nov. 24 -- L at NY Jets, 31-13 Sun, Dec. 1 -- W vs.
Miami, 38-21 Sun, Dec. 8 -- L at New England, 27-17 Sun, Dec.
15 -- W vs. San Diego, 20-13 Sun, Dec. 22 -- L at Green Bay,
10-0 Sun, Dec. 29 -- W vs. Cincinnati, 27-9
Notes: RB Travis Henry played in Sunday's Pro Bowl as an injury
replacement for Kansas City's Priest Holmes. ... Two former
Bills - WR James Lofton and G Joe DeLamielleure - were elected
to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Lofton played four years with
the Bills and on three Super Bowl teams. DeLamielleure was the
star guard on the "Electric Company" line that blocked for O.J.
Simpson. ... The Bills want to re-sign free agent WR Peerless
Price, who caught 94 passes for 1,252 yards and nine touchdowns
last season. Buffalo also would like to sign an impact free
agent linebacker.
