5 Detroit Lions players who are on the hot seat in 2021

Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman – WRs

We’re lumping two new wideouts together in what may seem like cheating the premise of the article. Hear us out, though, they’re both in about the exact same situation. They were each brought here as bargains at their position but we were also told that they could do the job well.

Why are their seats hot?

They both make in the $2.43 million to $3.0 million according to Spotrac, an internet professional sports transaction, and salaries tracker website. Their unenviable task is to replace Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, both of whom have had multiple big years in the Honolulu Blue.

While Williams has been rehabbing a labrum tear from 2020, Perriman has suffered from injuries and underperformed his way to the team that his father, Brett, once played for. Both men are reaching an age where it is difficult to make their mark on the sport at 29 and 28 years of age, respectively.

They carry the weight of being the two veteran free agents with the biggest price tags who will be asked to stretch the field for offensive coordinator, Anthony Lynn’s offense. Being on short deals makes them both expendable if they fail to gel with Jared Goff or fit the system. Williams has played for Lynn as part of the Chargers organization before, perhaps giving him a leg up on the competition.

Their statuses stem from expectations, being the highest-paid wide receivers, both have connections to the team making the hype louder, and let’s face facts-we need them to perform. Neither has to be Calvin Johnson, but they do have to be Nate Burleson good; meaning that both men have to be good starters and approach the 800-1,000 yards mark receiving if they want to stay.

Perriman was clocked running a 4.26-second 40-yard dash as a first-round pick out of Central Florida and has never lived up to the hype created by such a gaudy (but great) time. He started twelve games in 2020, his most ever, and produced 505 yards-receiving. In 2019 he was the No. 3 option in Tampa Bay and had 645 yards-receiving, his career-best in 14 games, starting four.

Williams, prior to his injured 2020, had a string of decent statistical years, decreasing every year since his personal best 1,059-yards, 7 touchdowns, 2016; he had 651 yards and 6 scores in 2019.

They have rookies Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jay Adams, Sage Surratt, Javon McKinley (undrafted players in italics), second-year Quintez Cephus, and a small gaggle of others like Damion Ratley, Geronimo Allison, Victor Bolden, Tom Kennedy, and return man-slot Kalif Raymond looking to push them out.

Even if they manage to hold off their younger competition, the Detroit Lions have four first-round picks between 2022-2023 to potentially target their replacements if they are less than stellar. We doubt that they are going to be allowed to hide behind “this is a rebuilding year.”