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One way or another, Joique Bell will return to the Detroit Lions next season. (AP File Photo)

INDIANAPOLIS -- Joique Bell will be in a Detroit Lions uniform next season, with or without a long-term contract.

General manager Martin Mayhew said Detroit plans to tender the 28-year-old tailback, who is a restricted free agent, if a deal cannot be reached.

"He's going to be here," Mayhew said Friday during the the NFL combine in Indianapolis. "We met with his agent a couple of nights ago and had a good discussion. There is a possibility we might work on a long-term deal with him, but either way, he's going to be with us."

Bell, a Benton Harbor native, said he would like to sign a long-term deal to remain with his home-state team. That could cost the club an estimated $3-3.5 million annually for four years.

Detroit is interested, but doesn't plan to let Bell walk even if that kind of deal fails to materialize.

"Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't make sense to do something long term. We will see how the dialogue goes. We just started talking to him. We're not sure where they are numbers-wise and we didn't give him a strong indication, numbers-wise, where we are either."

Bell went undrafted out of Wayne State in 2010 and had a nomadic first two seasons in the league. He settled in with Detroit the past two years, and finally broke out last season alongside Reggie Bush.

He rushed for 650 yards and eight touchdowns, plus caught 53 passes for 547 yards.