Detroit Lions: The battle at wide receiver is heating up
When it comes to their wide receiver corps, the Detroit Lions have some hard decisions to make as the competition for a spot on the active roster is heating up.
One of the areas the Detroit Lions had to find answers for this offseason was their wide receiver corps. Beyond the steady play from top wide out Golden Tate, questions swirled around quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s most valuable offensive weapons.
Number two wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. had a terrific start to the season in his first year in Detroit, culminating in a jaw-dropping six catch, 205 yard, two touchdown performance against the Green Bay Packers in Week Three. But as the season wore, Jones’ production steadily decreased.
With the offseason exodus of Lions’ receiving touchdown leader Anquan Boldin (8 TDs) from last season, Marvin Jones, now a five-year veteran, will be asked to step up his game and be far more consistent in his second season in the Motor City.
Rookie Kenny Golladay has been wowing audiences at training camp and continues to earn high praise all around. If his preseason performances match up, Golladay appears to be a lock as the Lions’ third wide receiver on the depth chart.
Beyond those three, the battle for a spot on the active roster appears to be between four receivers according to one Lions’ insider. Those candidates being T.J. Jones, Jared Abbrederis, Jace Billingsley and Keshawn Martin.
"“[T.J.] Jones, the most experienced in Detroit’s scheme, probably has a leg up,” wrote Justin Rogers of The Detroit News. “Abbrederis is a smooth route runner at all depths with good hands, Billingsley can be a nightmare on short throws in space and Martin has been making Detroit’s rookie cornerbacks look silly with shiftiness off the line.”"
With injury concerns at running back and along their offensive line, plus the talented group of tight ends currently on the depth chart, it’s appears the Lions would most likely not keep more than five wide receivers on their active roster come the end of the preseason.
At 6-foot-2, Abbrederis has the height advantage over all the others, who are all 5-foot-11 or under. If the Lions’ prefer his size as a back-up outside receiver, the decision could be between Jones, Billingsley and Martin. And it may come down to who among the three excels out of the slot as well as can contribute the most on specials team as the deciding factor.
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But if any of these fringe Detroit Lions’ wide receivers flash during the preseason, they could easily climb the depth chart over the others. It’s just one of several positional battles that make these preseason contests worth watching.