Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El wants to add plenty of competition to the room

As the Detroit Lions look to address a need at wide receiver, count Antwaan Randle El as a voice for an aggressive approach.

The Detroit Lions weren’t super-aggressive in adding wide receivers last offseason, signing two free agents (Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman) who didn’t make it through Week 1 healthy or on the roster and using a fourth-round pick on Amon-Ra St. Brown.

St. Brown was of course a major find, catching more passes than anyone in the league over the final six weeks of the season. Kalif Raymond was solid, and Josh Reynolds averaged over 16 yards a catch after coming in off waivers. A healthy Quintez Cephus, after he suffered a season-ending collarbone injury in Week 5, will practically feel like an addition.

Raymond and Reynolds are both free agents, and both may be back. But as the Lions mine the draft and free agent markets for wide receivers, wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El wants an aggressive approach.

Antwaan Randle El wants to add plenty of competition to wide receiver room

Speaking about the Lions wide receiver group, via Kyle Meinke of MLive, Randle El feels like competition will benefit everyone.

“I felt like Q was really taking some strides before he got hurt,” Randle El said. “It was good to see him (produce), so I’m excited about our competition going into next year, especially if we’re able to bring Josh back and bring Kalif (Raymond) back. It’ll be some real competition, which we need.

“I told them all, … ‘I’m trying to draft two and bring in one.’

The Lions will have five of the first 100 picks in April’s draft and 10 picks overall at this point, so adding one or two wide receivers there is possible. The free agent market at the position looks good, so there will be opportunities there too.

Down at the Senior Bowl this week, Randle El specifically cited the work Memphis wide receiver Calvin Austin has done. So that’s one the Lions wide receivers coach will presumably advocate for drafting somewhere on Day 2 or Day 3.