"Whatever role that forms into, I guess we'll know next Monday and from every week on out," he said.

Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said he saw more good than bad from Johnson in the preseason, and plans to kind of let his role define itself.

"He's the right kind of guy," Cooter said of Johnson Monday. "He's working hard at it. I look forward to sort of letting his role within the offense show itself as his talent level does and his learning does as his sort of just being a young player and getting better as an NFL player does.

"We're encouraged where Kerryon is heading and we look forward to kind of letting those roles define themselves as we get going."

It will be a highly anticipated debut for Johnson in a Lions' offense that hopes to be more balanced than it's been in recent years. The Lions were last in the NFL a year ago in rushing yards per game (76.3) and yards per carry (3.4).

Detroit's talked all offseason about wanting to be more physical on both sides of the ball. Being able to run the ball downhill and impose the tempo on a defense is one of the best ways to show that physicality. The Jets ranked 24th stopping the run a year ago.

"We have all the potential in the world," Johnson said. "But potential is one thing. Going and doing it is another. That's what it comes down to. Next Monday we have to go out and do it."

We'll find out in less than a week how big a role Johnson has in Detroit's backfield to begin the season. Veterans LeGarrette Blount and Theo Riddick are expected to get some run as well. Johnson is excited to be in regular season mode. He can sense the excitement from the fan base to see something new and improved from the Lions' run game.

"When you're a skill player draft pick, that's going to happen," Johnson said of that buzz. "It's kind of expected. You can't let it get to you. I have a job to do. We have a job to do. That just means you have further to fall.