Riddick’s worth to Lions offense is growing

(Photo: Daniel Mears, Detroit News)Allen Park — When the Detroit Lions drafted running back Theo Riddick in 2013, the addition was largely met with a shrug. The team had just signed Reggie Bush in free agency, still had former second-rounder Mikel Leshoure on the roster and had poached promising local product Joique Bell off the New Orleans Saints practice squad at the end of the previous sesaon. Few could conceive what role Riddick would have early in his career.

Three years later, Bush, Bell and Leshoure are gone and Riddick has developed into one of the most critical components on Detroit’s offense.

After splitting his time between running back and wide receiver at Notre Dame, Riddick…