Wide receiver trades that Detroit Lions should make now

Detroit Lions wide receiver trade target #3

Lastly, Demarcus Robinson is another option that the Detroit Lions could make a move for. The current Kansas City Chiefs receiver, and former fourth-round pick, is on a one-year deal to be the Chiefs’ third receiver, according to Spotrac. This would be a less obvious trade but still address some real needs on the Lions roster.

At 6-1, 203-pounds, he fits general manager, Brad Holmes’,  model of receiver. Think Robert Woods but in Detroit. A strength of his has been his ability to separate from defenders, albeit as an almost forgotten member of the KC offense.

If we peek at the Next Gen Stats from NFL.com, he ranks second among qualifying wide receivers in average separation metrics. He’s a 4.56-speed guy but he’s better in shorter distances, and good agility that creates space is more of Holmes’ calling card in acquiring receivers.

Above we ranked him as the number three wide receiver but if you count tight end Travis Kelce and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, he may really rank as the fifth or sixth option in the passing game manned by All-Pro quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. Tyreek Hill, Kelce, Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle, Edwards-Helaire, free-agent runners Jerrick McKinnon and Darrel Williams, plus rookies Cornell Powell, and Noah Gray are a lot of mouths to feed, regardless.

At $987,500 dollars for 2021, per Spotrac, he fits the low-cost profile we need temporarily but still may have some untapped ability to elevate his game to be a future fixture in Lynn’s system. Again, the Detroit Lions have few players under contract for next year and a trade executed now is really a jump-start for free agency next year.

In Robinson’s case, we could take our time seeing his progress before making any extension offer. Robinson only has 1,415 yards receiving for his career and 11 touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference; he has worked his way up the depth chart, starting 19 games in the past two years. The cost to acquire could be as low as a conditional sixth considering the depth of skill players on the Chiefs roster.

It may be that none of these men are available but making a move seems like it should be high on the priority list for Holmes, who thinks of Jared Goff as a franchise quarterback. You have to give him more to work with and some players that he can bond with for more than 2021. Stability and talent both have to be addressed, if not now, before next year.