Detroit Lions: Battling it out for the fifth wide receiver spot
With one of the league’s best receiving corps, the Detroit Lions have a number of talented wide receivers fighting for the fifth wide receiver spot.
The Detroit Lions have one of the deepest and most talented receiving corps in the league. They’re not afraid to say so themselves, as lead receiver Marvin Jones took to NFL Network’s Good Morning Football last month to make the case.
Jones, who we profiled last week as a lethal weapon against division rivals, heads the Lions receiving corps followed in a close second by eight-year veteran Golden Tate. The third man on the depth chart, Kenny Golladay, was a third-round pick in last year’s draft who burst onto the scene in his rookie year with numerous highlight-reel catches.
Beyond those three, however, things get a little bit murky. T.J. Jones, the Lions’ fourth receiver last year, only had 15 total catches in his first three seasons prior to finding his role as a situational receiver last year. After posting 30 receptions for 399 yards, the Lions signed him to a one-year, $1.9 million extension this offseason, all of which will count against the cap.
With that kind of money tied up in Jones, it’s hard to see him being unseated this year, especially as head coach Matt Patricia will likely bring the New England Patriots’ tendency to keep at least five wide receivers on the roster. That being the case, let’s take a look at the rest of the names to watch as the battle for the fifth receiver spot begins in camp:
Jace Billingsley
Jace Billingsley has been a fan favorite since he was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Oregon University in 2016. He has missed the 53-man roster and landed on the practice squad to begin each of his first two seasons in the league.
In the fall, however, Kenny Golladay was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury and Billingsley saw his first regular-season action when he was brought up to the active roster for Weeks eight and nine.
With two years underneath his belt with the offense and special teams units, Billingsley will have a chance to impress the new coaching staff. Rumor has it out of Allen Park that Billingsley has already been raising eyebrows in OTAs. If he can keep turning heads, Billingsley should get a long and hard look to make the team as a fifth receiver.