Despite being in the NFL postseason mix, the Detroit Lions have clearly shown that they’re not the dominating team they once were. Although they’ve displayed spurts of their stellar play, injuries to the defense, combined with bouts of inconsistency on offense, have resulted in a disappointing start
Not only are Lions’ fans eagerly waiting for the team to return to its dominance, but they’re also waiting for rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa to become a consistent contributor to the offense. However, with head coach Dan Campbell’s recent comments referring to TeSlaa as “a spot player on offense” (h/t @MotownMindset), it raises concerns if TeSlaa will ever become an impact player on the team.
Isaac TeSlaa's Slow Start Should Concern Lions
As the season has progressed, the Lions have slowly integrated TeSlaa into the offense. Through 11 games, TeSlaa has appeared in just 172 offensive snaps (15.6 per outing), but in last week’s win against the New York Giants, he had his season-high with 28. Despite the Lions’ efforts to get him involved, TeSlaa wasn’t a factor, logging just one target.
This has been a season-long struggle for the Lions, with TeSlaa hardly having an impact on their offense, recording just 4 receptions on 9 targets for 65 yards and 2 touchdowns. While he’s shown spurts of promise, TeSlaa has been a total disappointment.
With his continued struggles, the Lions have turned to veteran receiver Kalif Raymond as the team’s third receiving option. Raymond hasn’t provided the Lions much, with just 15 receptions and 150 yards, but his experience and familiarity with the team’s playbook give him the edge over TeSlaa.
Now, with Campbell labeling TeSlaa as a ‘spot player,’ it makes the decision to trade three third-round picks to move up and draft him look worse and worse with each passing day. The Lions could’ve instead used these valuable resources to acquire an impactful player at the trade deadline, such as defensive end Jaelan Phillips or wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, both of whom would’ve been a boost for either side.
Not only that, but the Lions also traded veteran receiver Tim Patrick before the start of the season with the intention of giving TeSlaa his snaps. Patrick was a vital contributor in the team’s rushing attack, serving as a quality run-blocker while also posting 33 receptions for 394 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Isaac TeSlaa Gamble Isn't Paying Dividends Yet
So far, it’s evident that the Lions are paying for their huge gamble. By putting all their chips in on TeSlaa, they missed out on having numerous players that could’ve helped them amid their struggles on both sides. Now, they're left hoping that he'll show signs of life before the bust label arrives.
While Lions’ fans have every right to be upset and concerned with TeSlaa’s unimpressive start, we shouldn’t label him a bust yet. All rookies grow and develop at different rates, but with what the Lions gave up for him, fans are asking a lot out of him.
Instead, the blame should go directly to coaches and the front office, as they’ve failed to figure out how to utilize TeSlaa. His size makes him an option in redzone situations, which he displayed in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, but the team has failed to utilize him there. They can't expect him to turn things around on his own.
While Campbell can get away with using TeSlaa as a ‘spot player’ for now, he must design some plays to get TeSlaa going in the near future if the Lions are to make the playoffs.