The NFL combine is less than two weeks away and days after that, the free agency period will begin with the start of the new league year. So it’s time for the Detroit Lions -- and every other team in the NFL -- to begin to take stock of what they have and where they can upgrade and improve.
With that in mind, we’ll look at every position on the Lions’ roster leading into next week’s combine. And just a reminder that things can change incredibly quickly over the next few weeks as Detroit decides which players to re-sign and which to let go.
Today we’ll look at a position with some name power up front but badly in need of depth: wide receiver.
The position group under contract: Marvin Jones (starter), Golden Tate (starter), Jace Billingsley, Jared Abbrederis, Andrew Turzilli, Ryan Spadola
Free agents: Anquan Boldin, Andre Roberts, TJ Jones (exclusive rights)
What are the chances the Lions bring back their own free agents here: Decent. There’s little to no reason not to bring TJ Jones back with an exclusive rights deal, and he could end up as Detroit’s No. 3 receiver. If Boldin wants to play another year, he’d be worth keeping at the right price. Roberts gave Detroit value as a returner and made some big catches, so there’s a chance he would be brought back as well.
What do the Lions need between free agency and the draft: The Lions will have to add some youth here, although Billingsley has potential and Jones has shown he could have a role. If Boldin and Roberts were to return, Detroit might not have that much movement, but figure to see the Lions bring in a few new bodies to back up Jones and Tate. It’s unlikely the Lions will spend massive amounts of money here after making receiver their free agent priority two of the last three offseasons, netting Tate and Jones. Remember, too, the Lions have Eric Ebron, Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick, who all have pass-catching abilities. But the mid-range price might be right unless a perfect option becomes available. That’s why you won’t see DeSean Jackson, Kenny Stills, Alshon Jeffery or Terrelle Pryor below. They should command more dollars than Detroit is likely to spend.
Three free agents to look at:
Brandon LaFell, Cincinnati: The 30-year-old LaFell might end up just out of Detroit’s price range but if the Lions can get him at a reasonable price, he could be an option. At 6-foot-3, he would provide a taller outside option that could give the Lions flexibility to move Golden Tate into the slot in three-receiver sets if they so desired. Bob Quinn has experience with Tate from his two seasons in New England. His career drop rate of 4.2 percent is a little high, but he’s been a consistent receiver throughout his career with 342 receptions for 4,715 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina: Ginn could be more in Detroit’s price range, has return ability and would fit in well in the slot. The Lions might be scared off by his high drop rate though, which is 6.9 percent for his career, including three straight seasons of 6.4 percent or worse. He could fill a role like Roberts, though, where Detroit would target him as a returner who can also play some offense.
Marquise Goodwin, Buffalo: If the Lions believe they need to add speed to open up the field, Goodwin is a low-end free agent they could take a chance on. He has elite level speed and while he wasn’t targeted much in Buffalo (just 109 times, including 67 last season), he has only two career drops. His size at 5-foot-9 would limit him on the outside, but he could be an intriguing stretch-the-field option combined with Marvin Jones.
Three combine rookies that could get considered:
Zay Jones, East Carolina: He has good size at 6-foot-2, 202 pounds. He has the pedigree with his father, Robert, playing linebacker for Dallas and his uncle being former NFL quarterback Jeff Blake. He’s the all-time FBS receptions leader for a career (399) and single season (158 in 2016). He also had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2015 and 2016.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC: If the Lions want to go with a receiver somewhat early, Smith-Schuster could be a strong option. He’s 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and is built extremely well, with NFL.com making a player comparison to the man he would potentially replace in Detroit, Anquan Boldin. A three-year starter at USC, he had 213 receptions for 3,092 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Artavis Scott, Clemson: He’s the Tigers’ career leader in receptions (245) and had 2,458 career yards with 19 touchdowns. His size at 5-foot-10, 193 pounds might place him inside more than outside at least to start and he has experience as a returner, averaging 23.26 yards as a kick returner and 5.18 yards when used sparingly as a punt returner.
