For reasons totally unrelated to his two critical dropped passes in the NFC Championship Game, or fans' perception of his attitude about it, Josh Reynolds has seemed unlikely to be re-signing with the Detroit Lions. Shy of money, plenty of other teams can offer him a bigger role.
The Lions' re-signing of Donovan Peoples-Jones became a pretty clear signal Reynolds will not be back.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Reynolds is headed to Baltimore for a visit with the Ravens on Friday.
Reynolds was a fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. That history with quarterback Jared Goff made it a no-brainer for the Lions to claim him when the Tennessee Titans waived him in 2021. He averaged 16.1 yards per catch in seven games for the Lions over the rest of that season.
The Lions re-signed Reynolds to a two-year, $12 million deal in 2022. After he had 38 catches for 479 yards and three touchdowns that season, his numbers climbed to 40 catches for 608 yards and five touchdowns over all 17 games last season. In Week 18. the team made sure he reached a contract incentive for topping 600 yards as a reward for doing the unglamorous parts of his job.
NFL Free Agency: Will the Ravens sign Josh Reynolds?
The Ravens have been easy to tab as a team who would be a fit for Reynolds. They are replacing Odell Beckham, and looking to do so more cost-effectively than what they paid Beckham last offseason. They reportedly had former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup in for a visit on Thursday, as they ramp up their search for a wide receiver in the secondary wave(s) of free agency.
Reynolds should have a solid market for his services, now as one of the top free agents available. It's surprising his visit with the Ravens is his first known visit, at the end of the second week. If he leaves unsigned, more teams will likely line up visits.