Head coach Jim Caldwell relayed at the NFL owners meetings that Abdullah will have plenty of opportunity during the 2016 season, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports. "If there's anybody who is going to improve, he's going to improve," said Caldwell.
After flashing explosiveness with a 24-yard touchdown run in his NFL debut, Abdullah dropped the ball early and often and even combined for 79 total snaps in a five-game stretch from Week 5-10. As the campaign progressed, though, he settled into a regular role, averaging 5.4 YPC, scoring one touchdown, and corralling 11 of 14 passes over the final seven contests. With Joique Bell out of the picture, Abdullah will only have to contend with pass-catching threat Theo Riddick and fellow sophomore Zach Zenner for RB touches in the fall.