I didn't have a chance to weigh in on the Kevin Jones cut yesterday as news broke when I was in the middle of my drive to Indianapolis for the Big Ten tournament. Finally settled in — after a total commute of more than eight hours; five-plus on the road, another hour or so driving around Jackson looking for a place with wireless to send, and two more writing and running up my cell-phone bill — here's my thoughts:

I don't fully understand why the Lions would part ways with a 25-year-old running back entering his contract year at a reasonable salary ($2.37 million) despite his injury history. In four years, Jones has never made it through a complete NFL season. He missed a game with an ankle injury as a rookie, three games with elbow and shoulder injuries in 2005, and finished the last two years on IR after foot and knee surgeries.

In a statement, Lions coach Rod Marinelli said the decision to cut Jones (and defensive end Kalimba Edwards) brings "clarity to our roster and also (eliminates) some uncertainty heading into the draft that would have otherwise existed." I could buy that if there was a free-agent running back worth targeting that was worried about getting a fair chance to compete with Jones still around (of course, any free agent who would worry about that wouldn't be worth pursuing), but A) there's not, and B) what happened to the need for competition at every position?

In the Lions' defense, they do need a more dependable back to highlight their new commitment to the running game and Marinelli and new offensive coordinator Jim Colletto like Tatum Bell a whole lot more than Mike Martz did. Bell's a better blocker than Jones, his vision and one-cut running style should play well in the retooled offense, and he never got a fair chance after inexplicably landing in Martz's doghouse. But it should be noted the organization thought so much of Bell they signed him to a one-year deal AFTER missing out on free agent Julius Jones.

The Lions will no doubt draft a running back in April, but they would have even if they kept Jones around. If they stay at 15, I still believe they'll end up with the best offensive or defensive lineman available and target a running back — the draft's biggest strength — in the second or third round.

As for Edwards, his release was expected since late last year. He never developed into a reliable pass rusher, and after six NFL seasons and with offseason workouts starting Monday it was time to cut bait. Safety Kenoy Kennedy is next on the chopping block, though with a weak draft class at that position the Lions might be able to trade Kennedy for a late-round pick.