With a clear need for help at wide receiver, a former first-round pick has been named an ideal trade target for the Detroit Lions.
A thin wide receiver group for the Detroit Lions has been thinned further by injuries. Tyrell Williams (concussion) does not appear close to a return, and Quintez Cephus (collarbone) is out for the year barring something unforeseen. Kalif Raymond has the most yards (219) among Lions’ wide receivers through six game, and rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown leads the group with 24 catches (Raymond has 20).
The Lions are reportedly exploring the wide receiver trade market ahead of the Nov. 2 deadline. Any acquisition would come with an eye on the future as much as any possible immediate impact over the rest of this season.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report put together a list suggesting the ideal trade target for each NFL team.
A first-round bust deemed ideal trade target for the Lions
For the Lions, Sobleski pointed to New England Patriots wide receiver N’Keal Harry.
"The Detroit Lions desperately need help at wide receiver, and N’Keal Harry wants out of New England.Kalif Raymond currently leads the Lions’ wide receivers with 219 yards. In total, 63 wide receivers have more than the Lions’ WR1. To be fair, tight end T.J. Hockenson and running back D’Andre Swift are the team’s top two targets, but they could use more help on the outside.Harry formally asked to be traded from the Patriots in July. Either the team didn’t like potential offers or didn’t find any suitors at the time.He did suffer a shoulder injury during training camp and is just now working himself back into the mix. However, the Patriots already have Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor and Jakobi Meyers. Detroit would provide far more opportunities to see if Harry can actually play."
Now into his third season since being drafted in the first round (32nd overall) by the Patriots in 2019, injuries have limited Harry to 24 games in his career. A shoulder injury cost him time early this year, and in three games since he has two catches for 19 yards on 58 total snaps. There is also a viral clip from last Sunday’s game, where Harry didn’t know what he was supposed to do at all.
Oh wow, this is year 3 for N'Keal Harry, this is embarrassing.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 18, 2021
Is Belichick just keeping him around to delay having to admit yet another one of his 1st round picks not working out?
And to think how many quality WRs were still on the board.... https://t.co/E5TgkQmMsc
Harry would, at least in theory, find more opportunity in Detroit than he has in New England. He makes sense as a trade flier for a lot of teams, and the cost (a seventh-round pick?) would be in the Lions’ wheelhouse. But there are better wide receiver options out there to trade for, from a familiar face for the GM to guys who have fallen out of the mix with their current team. The Lions should not take on the headache Harry appears to still be, right down to not knowing where he should line up at times.
5 wide receivers the Detroit Lions could trade for by the deadline
The Detroit Lions are reportedly looking to the trade market for a wide receiver, and these five make sense to be among their top targets.