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Lions running back Joique Bell is aiming for 1,200 yards rushing this season.

(Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

DETROIT -- Joique Bell isn't worried about the knee injury that has sidelined him for the entirety of this offseason. He isn't worried about the Achilles either.

He really, really isn't.

Bell is so confident about this season, in fact, that he's predicting he'll become the second Detroit Lions running back to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards since 2004 -- and then some.

"I'm going to rush for over 1,200 yards," Bell told MLive.com. "That's the minimum. If I do less than that, I'll be surprised. I'll be disappointed.

"Anything more than that, I wouldn't be surprised at all."

No Lions tailback has rushed for that many yards since Barry Sanders racked up 1,491 in his final season in 1998. In fact, the club's tailbacks have struggled to reach even 1,000 in the post-Sanders era.

Detroit was the only team in the league without any 1,000-yard rushers from 2005-12.

Reggie Bush finally ended that skid in 2013, when he rushed for 1,006 yards in his first year with Detroit. Bell complemented Bush that season, and they became the first teammates in NFL history to accumulate 500 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in the same season.

But Bush suffered a string of ankle injuries last season, which paved the way for Bell to earn the first starting job of his career. He made the most of it, too, rushing for 547 yards in the second half of the season and averaging 4.5 yards a pop.

Now he's spent the offseason resting his knee and Achilles, and should return in time for the start of training camp. He is the clear leader to take over for Bush as the starting tailback, and is expecting big things for himself.

"My first year here I rushed for a few hundred (yards)," he said. "Second year, close to (700). Then last year, almost 900. So this next year, I'm just going to jump the gun and say 1,200. That's the minimum."

For the record, Bell rushed for 414 yards in 2012, his first full season with the club, and then 650 in 2013 and another 860 last season. So 1,200 is unchartered territory for him -- though that's not to say it's unattainable, either.

Coach Jim Caldwell has repeatedly said he would like to rush the ball more than he did last season, and would prefer to win on the ground rather than through the air. Detroit has built its roster accordingly, including selecting guard Laken Tomlinson in the first round of the NFL draft, then tailback Ameer Abdullah in the second round.

Detroit now has four early draft picks as projected starters on the offensive line, which should boost the running game -- which, in turn, should encourage the Lions to rush the ball more. So if Bell remains healthy, 1,200 could be within his sights.

But he won't be alone in the backfield, either. Abdullah, the rookie out of Nebraska, could take over Bush's role as the speed complement to Bell's power. Third-year back Theo Riddick should also factor into the rotation, particularly as a pass-catcher.

As for Bell, he's been resting on vacation in Hawaii for the past week. He'll return to Michigan soon to resume his rehab.

He'll also host a youth football camp on July 13 at Bloomfield Hills High School. For more information, visit ysportzcamps.com or call (248) 820-1919.

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