Detroit Lions fans have been mildly disappointed by rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa and his lack of involvement in the offense through 11 weeks.
Lions fans thought that TeSlaa would immediately step in as the team’s WR3 during the 2025 campaign after Detroit traded veteran Tim Patrick towards the end of the preseason, clearing the way for that idea. It also didn’t help that TeSlaa had an eye-opening exhibition season, finishing with 8 receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns, which caught the attention of the fanbase.
Fast forward to November, and TeSlaa only has four receptions (eight targets) for 65 yards and two touchdowns, which has fans questioning why general manager Brad Holmes traded three third-round picks (two in 2026) to the Jacksonville Jaguars to move up to get him.
Lions Fans Starting to Have Buyer’s Remorse with Isaac TeSlaa Selection
When you make a significant move like that, especially involving further draft capital, the player should be making an impact, whether on offense or special teams.
That’s not the case for TeSlaa, who has been getting outplayed by veteran wide receiver Kalif Raymond, who also sees snaps on special teams. The 31-year-old Raymond has played 45% of offensive snaps compared to only 23% for TeSlaa.
Additionally, the veteran pass catcher has accumulated 13 receptions (17 targets) for 113 yards, which is more than what TeSlaa has provided thus far.
After their Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, fans pointed out on X that the Eagles used a third-round pick on edge rusher Jaelen Phillips, who has been a difference maker in his first two games.
The Lions could’ve used another pass rusher to pair alongside Aidan Hutchinson and provide more depth behind Al-Quadin Muhammad, who has been outstanding. However, the Lions did not have a third-round pick to consider using in a trade for Phillips or another pass rusher, as they had already moved during draft weekend to pick TeSlaa.
If it wasn’t a pass rusher, the Lions could’ve used a third-round pick to bolster their banged-up offensive line ahead of the trade deadline. According to Mike Payton of A to Z Sports, Detroit’s o-line has already allowed 105 pressures, surpassing last season’s total (79) at this point of the season.
But that’s in the past now. All the Lions and their fans can do is look ahead to the future and hope that TeSlaa can make even a small impact.
We know that TeSlaa wasn’t going to compete for targets with Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown, but the fact that he’s not complementing the talented duo is a huge problem.