Report: RB Davenport interested in playing for Lions

Jul/02/08 05:54 PM Filed in: Najeh Davenport
NajehDavenport
Running back Najeh Davenport is reportedly interested in playing for the Lions and Arizona Cardinals, he told NFL radio according to www.nflgridirongab.com.

Pittsburgh released the backup running back recently after the team couldn't work out a trade for him.

The Lions might want to add another running back after cutting Kevin Jones. The team still has Tatum Bell, third-round pick Kevin Smith, Brian Calhoun, Artose Pinner and Aveion Cason.

Davenport rushed for a career-high 499 yards last season and averaged 4.7 yards per carry. But he was ineffective as a starter in the Steelers' final two games after Willie Parker broke his leg.

Davenport was held to 25 yards on 16 carries in a 31-29 wild-card playoff loss to Jacksonville. That was after he gained 27 yards on 12 attempts in a season-ending loss at Baltimore.

The Steelers recently drafted running back Rashard Mendenhall on the first round and signed third-down back Mewelde Moore, moves that meant Davenport had little chance of making the team. The team also wanted to keep second-year back Gary Russell.

Davenport played with the Green Bay Packers from 2002-04. He was in the final year of a contract worth $1 million in 2008.

In April, Davenport was acquitted of a misdemeanor domestic violence charge in Cleveland Municipal Court. He was accused of slapping and punching the mother of his 5-year-old son at her Cleveland home in October.

In 2002, Davenport was arrested at his alma mater, the University of Miami, accused of breaking into a university dormitory and defecating in a woman's closet. He denied the accusation. According to published reports, he was charged with one count of criminal mischief and one count of burglary. But the charges were dismissed in exchange for Davenport teaching a series of football clinics.

(freep.com)