In Sunday night’s overtime win against the Los Angeles Rams, only two Detroit Lions wide receivers even saw a single passing target. All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown caught three of his six targets, netting just 13 yards.
Jameson Williams erupted in compensation, scoring a touchdown and racking up a career-best 129 receiving yards on five catches and nine targets. But the lack of effective wideout play was stark when compared to the Rams getting good production from deeper reserves once Puka Nacua left the game with an injury, one that has landed him on the I.R.
Meanwhile, Detroit’s third and fourth wide receivers, Kalif Raymond and rookie Isaiah Williams, didn’t see a single pass.
The Lions do have some veteran options on the practice squad, and the call for the team to add one of them is growing louder with every passing radio show or podcast. Between Allen Robinson, Tim Patrick and Donovan Peoples-Jones, head coach Dan Campbell has three players who all have some NFL feathers in their caps at the ready.
Campbell was asked on Wednesday if Patrick, signed recently after being cut by the Broncos, was close to being activated, or if Peoples-Jones had an advantage from being with the Lions since the trading deadline last season.
“All of those guys are competing,” Campbell responded. “That’s why when you’re on the vet squad, every day you put in the work and our eyes are open. I told them all that last week, and so we’re paying close attention to him and Robinson as well.”
Campbell concluded the thought ambiguously.
“So, all options are on the table, and we’ll just take it as it comes.”
The Lions did make a roster move on Wednesday, but it was adding veteran DT Kyle Peko to the active roster. Barring an injury, it doesn’t appear that the wideout room in Detroit will change in Week 2 other than a potential practice squad promotion. In Week 1, that honor went to Tom Kennedy, who only played four offenses snaps and also didn’t see a target.
