Distressed asset at wide receiver might be Lions' ideal Josh Reynolds replacement

The most recent memory Detroit Lions' fans have of Josh Reynolds is his two critical drops in the NFC Championship game. Some fans may even want him gone due to his seeming shoulder shrug "bleep happens" response to a bad day in a big game.

As the first full week of free agency winds down, Reynolds remains available with only a false report the Lions had re-signed him. There are certainly some teams who could or should have interest in him (Jets, Steelers, Giants), so he may be signed soon as the second wave of free agent signings come.

The Lions may wind up re-signing Reynolds. He's clearly a "culture fit", and he has chemistry with Jared Goff. But his role is lined up to change next season, with Jameson Williams lined up for a bigger role from the get-go. So it's not a stretch to say he can find a bigger role elsewhere, and he seems to be exploring/waiting for those options.

Buy-low Josh Reynolds replacement for Lions is available now

Once upon a time, Michael Gallup landed prominently as a potential free agent target for the Lions. Soon after that in December of 2021, right on cue, he suffered a torn ACL. But the Dallas Cowboys still gave him a five-year, $57 million contract extension in 2022, then proceeded to try to replace him as their No. 2 wide receiver.

As the start of the new league year approached, the Cowboys gave Gallup permission to seek a trade. On Friday, they released him.

Gallup has totaled 73 catches for 842 yards and six touchdowns over the last two seasons. He played every game last season, but played just 52 percent of Dallas' offensive snaps as he set career-lows across the board (34 receptions for 418 yards and two touchdowns; 57 targets). His deeper numbers (average depth of target, yards per route run, etc.) were also poor.

Now freely available, Gallup should have a solid market and he's not in position to ask for a lot in his next contract. If the Lions know they won't be bringing Reynolds back, the former third-round pick should be on their list of free agent replacement options now.