The Detroit Lions wide receiver room took a couple injury hits on Wednesday, one minor (Amon-Ra St. Brown) and one more significant (Jameson Williams). Williams, per head coach Dan Campbell on Thursday, is expected to miss the rest of the preseason with a right hamstring injury.
Going deeper down the depth chart, trade acquisition Denzel Mims has not practiced lately due to a leg injury. Campbell's comments about him on Thursday left little room for interpretation, as he said the former Jet is "in the room" and "Wish I could give you more." That was said within the context of the Lions now possibly looking to add a wide receiver, and said it all about Mims' tenuous status.
With the way Dan Campbell has answered questions about Denzel Mims the past week or so, it's getting pretty difficult to project the former second-rounder making the roster. Today's gem: "Well, he's in there, he's in the room."
— Justin Rogers (@Justin_Rogers) August 17, 2023
Campbell said he and general manager Brad Holmes are looking into possibly adding a receiver after Thursday.
"We’re kinda in that a little bit,” Campbell said. “We potentially may have to add somebody after today. We’re looking into that. Brad (Holmes) and I are talking about that. We’ll feel a lot better after today’s practice. Because yes, we do (need more depth), but it’s like, all right, but to do that, you have to move on from somebody, and that’s a hard thing to do. But we’re thinking about it.”"Dan Campbell, via MLive
The available options in free agency are of course not great, but it's hard to see the Lions making a significant trade at this point (Corey Davis?).
So here is a trio of free agent wide receivers who could be on the Lions' radar.
3 free agent wide receivers the Detroit Lions could look to add
3. WR Andre Roberts
If the Lions want to add someone with experience returning kicks/on special teams, Roberts could be on the radar. Yes, he's 35 years old and coming off missing most of last season with the Carolina Panthers. But in 2021 (split between two teams) he was still one of the better kickoff returners in the league, leading the NFL in raw kickoff return yards while averaging 27.3 yards per run back.
The Lions are (most likely) not looking to add a receiver who will come in and be expected to command a huge share of targets in their offense. But veteran leadership and accepting a role might as well have Roberts' picture next to them in the football dictionary, so he could be a fit.
2. James Washington
Washington was recently released by the New Orleans Saints. He spent much of last season on IR with the Dallas Cowboys, before finishing the season on the New York Giants practice squad.
Washington was a second-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Oklahoma State in 2018. While he never lived up to that draft status, he did catch eight touchdowns over the 2019 and 2020 seasons and finished top-10 in the NFL in yards per catch (16.7) during the 2019 campaign.
In theory, the 27-year old Washington still has the latent skills he flashed in Pittsburgh before being phased out. As long as he's healthy, and the Saints did not let him go with an injury designation, the Lions should have him on their list of options to look at. Campbell still knows some coaches on the staff in New Orleans who could give him insight.
1. Rashard Higgins
Higgins could have been on the Lions' radar months ago as a possible addition to the wide receiver depth chart. But he remains available deep into August, for reasons that are unclear assuming he's healthy.
Higgins only played three games and nine offensive snaps for the Carolina Panthers last season, but he did not appear to ever be injured. Dean Jones from our friends over at Cat Crave said it all. But Higgins also apparently drew the ire of former head coach Matt Rhule for a touchdown celebration during practice.
"The mysterious disappearance of Rashard Higgins from the Carolina Panthers’ plans was bizarre. Despite his previous solid production with the Cleveland Browns, there was something preventing the coaching staff from placing any confidence in the wide receiver, who attained just nine snaps on offense during the campaign after catching the eye in training camp.""Dean Jones, Cat Crave
Higgins showed flashes of promise previously over six seasons (2016-2021) with the Cleveland Browns, averaging 14.7 (2018) and 16.2 yards per catch (2020) in a season. That he apparently ran afoul of Rhule, who was clearly way in over his head as an NFL head coach (as many college coaches have proven to be), should not be held against him. The Lions could still see plenty to like here, and give Higgins a shot to crack their roster over what's left of the preseason.