The Motor City headlines are being dominated by the trade of wide receiver Golden Tate. Did the Detroit Lions make the right move or have they tanked their season?
Mixed emotions is the best way describe Detroit Lions fans following Tuesday’s shocking trade of wide receiver Golden Tate to the Philadelphia Eagles. And the media followed suit as opinion of the move was as varied as fan reaction.
Getting a third round selection in return for Tate, the Lions are suddenly without their leading wide receiver and a wide open NFC North ahead of them. Let’s dive into these Golden headlines.
Golden Tate departs as one of best receivers in Lions’ history – ESPN.com
Many fans expressed a heavy heart to see Tate go. His Pro Bowl level play and on-field emotion made him a beloved figure in the locker room and in the stands. And despite not receiving an extension in Detroit, he was always a professional and brought his “A” game.
After trading Golden Tate, it’s clear the Lions don’t think they can compete in 2018- MLive.com
Without Tate, the question now becomes who replaces him in Motown? The obvious answer is T.J. Jones as the fourth-year wideout has shown flashes of potential but hasn’t had the opportunities. Expect rookie wide receiver Brandon Powell and running back Theo Riddick to help fill that role as well.
Detroit Lions just threw this season in trash by trading Golden Tate – Detroit Free Press
This trade will be a heated point of contention if the Lions fail to make the postseason. Trading away your leading wide receiver in the midst of a divisional race seems foolish. But both the media and fans alike will also pounce on this front office if their third round draft pick doesn’t pan out.
Trading Golden Tate is a win for Detroit Lions’ future – Detroit Free Press
I wanted to feature back-to-back stories from the same source to illustrate the mixed opinions the Tate trade has spurred. The Lions traded away their own third round pick in 2019 to get back into the fourth round this year’s draft to select defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand. So essentially getting that selection back is great. And if Detroit doesn’t miss a beat without Tate, it’s a good move.
Lions need more Kenny Golladay after Golden Tate trade – The Detroit News
Following the Golden Tate trade, the one thing Kenny Golladay can not afford to do is disappear anymore. The 2017 third rounder disappeared for much of his rookie season (partly due to injury). And after a fast start this year, Golladay has been near invisible in the past two games (three receptions total). With Tate now in Philly, the Lions need their second-year receiver to show up more.