The Detroit Lions are already set in the pass-catchers' department. Amon-Ra St. Brown is a superstar, Jameson Williams is inconsistent but incredibly talented, Isaac TeSlaa should be better with more touches, and Sam LaPorta is an absolute unit.
That said, even the best things can be improved. If the Lions are looking for reinforcements, they might turn to the AFC West. The Broncos traded for Miami Dolphins star WR Jaylen Waddle on Tuesday, giving Denver a surplus of wideouts.
According to ESPN NFL insider Benjamin Solak, the Broncos might be open to moving one of their wide receivers, including someone who could appeal to the Lions.
"The Broncos now have Jaylen Waddle, Marvin Mims, and Troy Franklin. With Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant in hand, gotta imagine they'll hear trade calls on Mims and Franklin," Solak wrote.
Troy Franklin Stands Out as a Potential Lions Trade Target
Franklin is young, and he can blossom in a more efficient passing game. If the Lions still aren't sold on TeSlaa or don't want to put that much in his plate, they can rotate him and Franklin to develop both and give opposing teams different looks.
As talented as the second-year WR is, Detroit trusted TeSlaa with only 27 targets (1.6 per game) and 435 offensive snaps (25.6 per game) as a rookie. Head coach Dan Campbell might want to see more consistency before expanding his role, and a potential trade for Franklin would help.
Franklin's numbers don't necessarily pop out, recording 65 catches on 104 targets for 709 yards and six touchdowns last season. Context matters, though, and his numbers are more impressive when considering that
The Broncos' passing game has been underwhelming since HC Sean Payton took the reins, averaging only 6.4 yards per completion (T-27th), and quarterback Bo Nix hasn't given them elite quarterback play.
With that in mind, Franklin's numbers should only trend up in a fast-paced and explosive offense like Detroit's.
While not much of a yards-after-catch guy (4.3 YAC), Franklin's versatility could come in handy for new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's offense. He lined up at the slot and out wide at nearly a 50/50 split, playing 301 snaps in the slate and 378 on the outside, according to Pro Football Focus.
On the downside, Franklin struggled with drops, dropping eight passes for an 11.0% drop rate, and that has been an issue in his two years in the league. Also, four of his targets created interceptions, and while plenty of that has to do with Nix, Franklin had a passer rating of just 87.4 when targeted.
Then again, those issues might help lower his potential trade value.
He may not move the needle much at first, but he's a low-risk/high-reward pickup on a rookie contract making just $1 million next season, per Spotrac, so the Lions should at least inquire about his availability. He was a fourth-round pick in 2024, so the Broncos might be comfortable letting him go for a similar draft pick, especially since it'd help free up a growing logjam.
The Lions need all the help they can get to return to the top of the NFC North. Trading for a WR3 with WR2 upside like Franklin would help accomplish that goal, which is why general manager Brad Holmes might want to get the ball rolling before another team has a similar plan.