Detroit Lions will have the best trio of wide receivers in 2018

With Kenny Golladay taking a step forward in year two, the Detroit Lions should have the best trio of wide receivers in the entire NFL.

The Detroit Lions already have one of the top receiving duos in the NFL. After Kenny Golladay‘s promising rookie year and first full off-season with the team, the trio of him, Golden Tate, and Marvin Jones will be the best trio of wide receivers in the NFL.

In 2017, three teams had two separate 1,000-yard receivers: the New England Patriots, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Lions. Of those three teams, only the Lions had two wide receivers that went for over 1,000. Tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce helped get their respective teams on that list.

Simply looking stats, the Lions’ Golden Tate and Marvin Jones are one of the top duos in the league. With the focus on the offensive line in the draft, I would be surprised if Lions receivers don’t top statistical categories again in the 2018 season.

Golden Tate

One of the most dangerous weapons out of the slot in the NFL, there is no receiver that is better with the ball in his hands than Golden Tate. In 2017, Tate led the NFL in yards after the catch by more than 100 yards. He also has forced more missed tackles than any wide receiver over the past five years, according to PFF.

https://twitter.com/PFF_Lions/status/993657128387784705

Tate is the only player to have eclipse 90 receptions in each of the past four seasons.

Marvin Jones

Last season, in his second year with the Lions, Marvin Jones solidified himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. In his break out year, he led the league in yards per catch with 18.1, he broke 1,000 yards for the first time, and he scored 9 touchdowns. Jones’ biggest contribution last season came on deep passes from Matthew Stafford. Jones as a reliable deep threat makes Stafford a better quarterback.

Kenny Golladay

Here’s where the Lions’ wide receiver corps takes a step forward this season. Going into 2017, rookie, Kenny Golladay was a relative unknown. Coming out of camp there was certainly hype about his play, everybody was weighing in, remember the “Babytron” feud? However, he was still a rookie and we generally have to temper our expectations of rookies.

What sets Golladay apart is his combination of size and speed. He has the straight line speed to get behind the defense, and he has the height and jumping ability to be open even when he’s covered.

After a solid rookie season, where he caught 28 balls for 477 yards while missing 5 games due to injury, rave reviews of his OTA performance are in, yet again. This time from Mike O’Hara of DetroitLions.com:

"Kenny Golladay looked like a different player in the Detroit Lions’ three-day minicamp, and the growth from his rookie season should be no surprise."

Golladay’s extra work

With the 2018 season looming and Eric Ebron no longer on the team, the question is, who gets all of his production? Our own Ash Thompson suggested in his piece that Golladay would soak up most of Ebron’s underneath work, which I very much agree with.

Ebron had 53 receptions on 86 targets in 2017, with his 17.0 yards per catch last year, Kenny Golladay should turn some of those targets and receptions into more big plays.

Red Zone

The Red Zone is where Golladay will really shine this season. With his size, he is an automatic mismatch down near the goal line. His size is something that the Lions didn’t have last season when he wasn’t in the game.

With Ebron gone, there will be no shortage of work down there for him, the tight end was second on the team in red zone targets with 12.

So far, Golladay has definitely impressed Kyle Meinke of MLive in the red zone. Meinke wrote:

"The offense has looked pretty good in practice, which you’d expect this time of year, and it was especially sharp in the red zone. They scored four straight times to open the drill, with two of those balls going to Kenny Golladay on back to back plays. He made tough catches against Jamal Agnew and Teez Tabor. As I keep writing, this guy could be so good, and he could be so good as soon as this year in the red zone. He’s just chewing up everybody right now in the end zone."

Next: Lions' new staff has different approach with rookies

It sounds like he already has, but Matthew Stafford should look Kenny G’s way often near the end zone.