Were it not for a late-season surge by Amon-Ra St. Brown -- and/or the New York Giants -- the Lions might have finished with the least productive group of wide receivers in the NFL.
As it was, their top three of St. Brown, Kalif Raymond and Josh Reynolds produced the eighth fewest yards (1,794) of any top trio in the league. (Cooper Kupp produced more yards by himself.)
Which was no surprise. The Lions parted ways with Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones last offseason and replaced them with Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman, who combined to play one game for Detroit in 2021.
St. Brown was a godsend in the second half of the season, and Reynolds, a pending free agent, helped the offense stretch the field after he arrived via waivers in November. Things got better as the year went along. But in terms of star power and talent, especially on the outside, Detroit's receiving corps remains one of the weakest in football.
To no surprise, wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El would like the Lions to make the position a priority this offseason. You can bet they will. Randel El told reporters Thursday at the Senior Bowl that he wants Detroit to add three receivers before next season -- two in the draft and one in free agency.
At the top of his wishlist: a playmaker.
Brad Holmes and the Lions waited until day three of last year's draft to take a receiver: St. Brown, 112th overall. They won't wait that long this year. (Right?) They're slated to have five picks in the top 100, including a late first-rounder and an early second-rounder when several elite receivers could be coming off the board.
If they're looking for a playmaker -- who isn't? -- the Lions will have options galore in the likes of Penn State's Jahan Dotson, Alabama's Jameson Williams, USC's Drake London, Arkansas' Treylon Burks and the Ohio State duo of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. All of them will go in the first two rounds.
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Of course, Detroit's approach to the draft will depend largely on free agency. Holmes will hope to have better luck signing receivers than he did last year, and it will help, as he said last month, to have 'more resources.'
The Lions could take a run at Mike Williams, the 6'4 deep threat who just put up 1,100-plus yards for the Chargers, or buy lower on someone like Allen Robinson, a three-time 1,000-yard receiver coming off a down year with the Bears, or DJ Chark, a potential star who lost most of last season with the Jags to a fractured ankle.
Make no mistake, Holmes will upgrade the Lions' receivers room this offseason. He has to. It's only a matter of when, and how. Randle El will be eagerly waiting.