ALLEN PARK, Mich. — You know your roster is pretty set when one of your biggest questions is who will be your third receiver. That’s life for the Detroit Lions these days.
That doesn’t mean it’s not worth discussing, though. The Lions are hoping to keep their potent offense potent. They have an offense that relies heavily on rhythm and timing, and incorporating some new pieces that are taking on bigger roles could lead to growing pains.
So as the preseason winds down and cut day approaches, it feels like a good time to reset the wide receiver picture.
Right now, these three are the only receivers with a guaranteed spot on the roster. St. Brown is the alpha and leader in the room. He somehow looks even better than he did this time a year ago, which led to a first-team All-Pro season. Williams is having his best training camp yet as a pro. He’s been with the first-team offense for virtually every team rep and looks like he’s ready for a consistent workload. He won’t be the possession receiver St. Brown is, but the Lions will use him in the run game and he’s expected to get more consistent looks over the middle, rather than serving as an attention-drawer on vertical routes. He’ll get his touches.
Finally, Raymond’s spot is as safe as can be. He’s a tireless worker — perhaps only outworked on this team by St. Brown — and a class act in the locker room. The coaches rave about him in every way. He’s essentially a captain without the formal title. On the field, he can be a weapon in the return game and has recorded 1,105 receiving yards over the past two seasons. He can easily wind up as Detroit’s WR3 in terms of production. The Lions would just like to diversify their room. That’s where the next tier of receivers factors in.
“He is receiver three right now,” Campbell said Tuesday. “The idea has always been we love Leaf as a returner and Leaf brings a different skill set to the receiver position. He’s got a little gadgetry, he’s got some quickness underneath and he’s a returner. To maximize both, boy, you’d love to (play him) 20 plays a game, 25 plays a game. So, we’d rather not play him 65 plays a game, but we will if we have to. So yeah, he’s receiver three right now and that’s fine. But that’s why it would be nice to have somebody step up because that just helps the room and I think it makes everybody a little more potent, that’s all.”
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The fight for WR3 has been ongoing since the departure of Josh Reynolds — a steady and dependable veteran receiver who signed with the Denver Broncos in free agency for $9 million over two seasons, reportedly worth up to $14 million. In hindsight, you have to wonder if the Lions regret not doing what it takes to retain Reynolds. They had the money to make it happen, and despite how the fan base might feel about his drops in the NFC Championship game, bringing back Reynolds was part of the plan this offseason.
“We’re still not done yet, in terms of targets that are still out there in free agency,” Lions GM Brad Holmes said at the owners meetings in March. “Josh Reynolds, he’s one that was part of the original plans. Still having dialogue, we’ll just kind of see where that goes. But that’s really the only one that’s still out there who was in the original plans.”
Those plans had to change. And since then, the Lions have struggled to adapt.
It began this spring with Antoine Green. A former seventh-round pick, Green was given every opportunity to seize the job but didn’t. After an injury suffered in the preseason opener vs. the New York Giants, Green was waived/injured by the team. At one point, Daurice Fountain was the frontrunner. He certainly looked the part as a bigger body. He made play after play in practice and slowly earned first-team reps in the process. He’s still in the mix, but it’s been quiet for Fountain ever since joint practices.
Kaden Davis has been worked into the mix at times, delivering explosive plays in practices and even in Detroit’s preseason win over the Chiefs. And you have to think the Lions would love nothing more than for Peoples-Jones to be the guy. They traded a 2025 6th-rounder for him at the deadline last year, but up until recently, he hasn’t stood out. He’s been better over the last week or so, but questions remain.
Of this bunch, Williams has had the best preseason. He leads the team in yards (106) and receptions (10) and has looked like a reliable target in the process. A talented UDFA out of Illinois, Williams might have done enough to earn a roster spot — whether it’s in Detroit or somewhere else. Here’s what’s against Williams: he has not repped with the first-team offense, usually working with the twos and threes. And Raymond can do everything he can, in a similar build. Ben Johnson expressed interest in having a WR3 with size and length to complement St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Essentially, an X receiver. So even though Williams has been impressive, there might not be enough variance there to warrant a spot.
“You still want to get a look at DPJ and Fountain and Davis and they’re really suited outside so that’s part of the trick here,” Campbell explained. “You do that, then you’re taking away an opportunity for one of those guys to give another look. So, it’s something we’ve talked about.”
One thing is clear: the Lions are begging for more.
“We’re waiting for somebody to step forward,” Campbell said last week. “We’re waiting for any one of those guys to step forward. …We’re dying for somebody to step up and say, ‘Hey man, I’m the guy. I’m the guy you can depend on. I’ll be the same consistent player every day and find a way to make the plays that come my way.’”
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As cut day quickly approaches, is it possible Detroit’s WR3 isn’t currently on the roster? Worth asking the head coach himself.
“These guys are here still competing and I would say we’re still looking for these guys to duke it out and see if somebody comes out of this,” Campbell said. “But as with any team, we’re looking all through the waiver wires and Brad and his department are looking at everything. So, we’re going to find the best guy that fits us, whether it’s here or somewhere else.”
After putting out some feelers among colleagues who cover the NFL, a few receivers who could be good fits for the Lions were floated in conversation.
Two Tennessee Titans receivers, Treylon Burks and Nick Ikhine-Westbrook, would fit the mold of a receiver the Lions could be after. Burks has a first-round pedigree. He hasn’t lived up to it, but might benefit from a change of scenery. Ikhine-Westbrook has totaled 767 receiving yards over the past two seasons. Word out of Nashville is that both will make the roster, despite a projected starting trio of Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd when healthy. But perhaps a trade could entice them.
Jason Brownlee is a player the New York Jets like. He made the 53-man roster a year ago as an undrafted free agent. He’s a bigger body and is in competition to make the roster, but could also find himself on the outside looking in. Word out of New York is that he might not do enough on special teams to warrant a roster spot, which might also work against him in Detroit.
Giants WRs Allen Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins could be available. Robinson isn’t the player he once was, but Hodgins could be a sneaky-good addition. He’s 6-foot-4, has a 36-inch vertical and can block.
There are also free-agent receivers like Julio Jones, Michael Thomas and others. But a cut-day addition feels like it would be higher on the list.
The Lions have options. May the best man win.
(Top photo of Donovan Peoples-Jones: Ed Mulholland / Getty Images)
