The Detroit Lions football club sports one of the top receiving corps in the NFL.
Detroit Lions fans all see preseason NFL rankings and lists for what they are, time-fillers. Electronic Arts Madden ratings, the NFL’s Top 100, or Pro Football Focus’ ranking of receiver corps for 2020 are opinions, but can help us look at the Lions’ strengths and weaknesses. While all lists have a popularity element that compromises some of their integrity, Pro Football Focus (PFF) has shown some love to our boys in Honolulu Blue and Silver.
This week we’ll discuss the skilled position cast around quarterback Matthew Stafford coming into Training Camp. Stafford’s legacy, if he is to build a positive one in all fan’s minds, has to include some postseason wins to live beyond the stat-padder moniker that he is often unfairly saddled with. We aren’t saying that he “pads his statistics” but simply that jaded fans make that accusation in lieu of division titles or playoff wins.
Ben Linsey, the author of a recent PFF piece, gives a fairly succinct paragraph about each team’s receiving corps, including tight ends, with a key PFF stat or two that he thinks justifies the rankings. You can read the article, here.
The Detroit Lions come in at number six, which is well inside the Top-10, obviously. It’s uncharacteristic praise from sources outside of the Motor City. Linsey is from the Cincinnati area according to his Linked In profile- so he is from Ohio to boot! There must be some real reasons for optimism if a guy from Southern Ohio ranks a Detroit, Michigan unit favorably.
Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Dallas, New Orleans, and Buffalo are all ranked higher, usually due to their second option being seen as superior to Marvin Jones, Jr. While we could debate their position among the elite, it will suffice to say that they belong there.
NFC North note: The Minnesota Vikings (24th), Green Bay Packers (26th), and Chicago Bears (27th) all were ranked well below our Lions in the receiver corps rankings in Mr. Linsey’s opinion.