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It was previously expected that the Lions would add Bush as the No. 2 back behind feature back Mike LeShoure, who would take the brunt of the carries whilst Bush received all the looks on passing downs. But now, Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that sources are telling him that the Lions are prepared to give Reggie Bush the starting role over LeShoure, and that would almost guarantee that the Lions will sign Bush.

Right now, the only other team linked to Bush is the Cincinnati Bengals, but I highly doubt they are going to offer Bush the starting gig. Reports from the Detroit Free Press indicated that Bush is set to get $5 million from the Lions, and he would be wise to take that money and the starting gig in the Lions backfield.

Not only would Bush receive plenty of targets with the Lions, but he would also get the brunt of the workload on the ground and have a shot at getting 1,000 yards again. On the Lions, Bush would be a big playmaker and get a nice paycheck from a team that views him as a great fit. But is Bush is a great fit for the Lions as a starter too? He makes perfect sense as a No. 2 back behind LeShoure, but the question is whether or not Bush can be that good on the ground for them. I have a feeling LeShoure will steal plenty of carries from Bush, but the Lions seem content with giving Bush the most carries of the two. Is that the best way to go about business? It depends on if Bush plays more like he did in 2011 than 2012 on the ground, and it could be a risk worth taking.

Bush definitely views himself as a starter after averaging 4.7 yards per carry on nearly 450 rushes with the Miami Dolphins, and he will get plenty more targets with the Lions. For Bush, picking Detroit seems like a no-brainer, and I think this move will work out for the Lions- as long as they don’t give him too many years.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

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Unlike Jake Long, Starks is not a declining player. Unlike Sean Smith, Starks has proven to be a consistent force on defense and has more leadership value than Smith. While the Dolphins can still re-sign the former two players (Smith is more likely), Starks would be harder to keep on the free agent market. Losing Starks would also hurt the overall effectiveness of the defensive line, and he is the impending Dolphins free agent with the least question marks and the most ability at this juncture.

Wide receiver Brian Hartline and running back Reggie Bush are two key free agents on the offensive side of the ball, and I expect the former to be back but not the latter. While Bush has repeatedly stated his desire to stay in Miami, the ‘Fins interest doesn’t seem to be mutual due to their love for rising young back Lamar Miller. Bush is their only established playmaker on offense, though, and this is on a team whose owner admitted is bereft of playmaking talent on both sides of the ball. Hartline isn’t a playmaker, but he is the team’s best receiver and has plenty of talent and interest from the Dolphins. Although the team wants to go after a true No. 1 wide receiver like Greg Jennings or Mike Wallace, they would be wise to keep Hartline and give Ryan Tannehill as much talent as possible.

Starks is the most logical choice for the franchise tag as one of the league’s finest defensive lineman, and he will get $8.45 million. Per La Canfora, the Dolphins are much more interested in giving long-term pacts to Long and Smith. The team feels the same way about Starks, but they realize it will be difficult to re-sign him, and they don’t want to run the risk of him hitting the market. If they cannot pull a deal before the deadline, then the Dolphins will be slapping the tag.

Armando Salguerro reported and reiterated that the Dolphins would not tag Sean Smith, and it really comes down to either Starks or Smith for the tag. Starks is the better candidate, so this report comes as no surprise.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

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The Dolphins sound like they want to go with the younger, cheaper alternative. Upside is a dangerous word to kick around, but Miller has loads of potential and showed it last year in minimal snaps. But Bush has been the Dolphins only true playmaker on offense over the past two seasons, even if he had a down year in 2012. The Dolphins are looking to add playmakers on both sides of the ball and seemingly have their eyes set on Greg Jennings, and the Dolphins plan might be to allocate the money that would have went to Bush on a true No. 1 wide receiver to help out Ryan Tannehill. Whether or not that is the best plan is a discussion for another day.

The Detroit Lions could use another running back, and it sounds like the Lions are interested in adding some speed and pass-catching ability to pair up with Mikel LeShoure. This could be an excellent situation for Bush, and Birkett writes, “Who knows what happens with Bush at the end of the day, but plenty of NFL people at the combine believe the Lions will make Bush a primary target in free agency.”

There are definitely legs to this, and it makes sense for the Lions to give Matthew Stafford a playmaking presence in the backfield who can also help the QB out in the passing game. Bush, according to Birkett, would cost around $5 million per year, but it sounds like the Lions believe Bush is worth the money.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.