Sep 3, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) catches a ball before a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Wide Receiver (5)
Calvin Johnson
Golden Tate
Corey Fuller
TJ Jones
Lance Moore
Here is where things get interesting. Johnson, Tate and Fuller are locks, but it’s a mystery behind them. I may be putting too much stock in the big game TJ Jones had in the preseason finale but it was enough for me to slot him in to supplant Jeremy Ross. He offers more on offense than Ross and looked good returning punts. We know what Jeremy Ross is and TJ Jones can be more.
I have Lance Moore rounding out the wide receiver depth chart. He may not have really earned it with his performance in camp and preseason, but neither did anyone else. Greg Salas would have been a sixth receiver for me but the knee injury he suffered against the Bills puts the likelihood of that in serious doubt.
Five receivers is a little thin – the Lions kept six last year – but that opens up opportunities elsewhere and actually works out OK for how the Lions want to play on offense. Which leads to the tight ends…
Next: Tight Ends