The five established Detroit Lions who need to impress in training camp

The team’s 1b wide receiver

Obviously, Golden Tate is not going to be looking for work if he has a bad training camp. He has a proven track record of success in the Lions offense. He has topped 90 catches in each of his four seasons with the team. He has been the NFL’s most consistent producer of yards after the catch.

Tate is a legitimate starting wide receiver and a consistent 1000 yard producer. That is not something a team just pushes out the door haphazardly. He needs to protect his role in the offense, not fight for a roster spot. His future depends on it.

Tate becomes a free agent in 2019. Whether it is with the Lions or another team, this preseason sets the tone for what his next contract will look like. The team will be looking at other options in an effort to gauge their need for Tate’s services in 2017. Tate needs to fend off all comers.

Kenny Golladay is Tate’s main threat. If Golladay steps into a full-time outside receiver role, that pushes Tate into the slot. Slot receivers typically do not make as much money as their perimeter counterparts. Even Jarvis Landry, who just signed a mega-deal after years as the NFL’s most productive young slot guy, got paid based on the belief he can be more than he has been.

Tate needs to establish that he is the Lions best volume target and fight for an outside receiver role. If he loses snaps, or more importantly targets, to Golladay that is going to limit his productivity.