The Detroit Lions' wide receiver room is shaping up to be one of the most dangerous groups they have fielded in recent seasons. Everyone knows how dangerous Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams can be. Then, veteran Tim Patrick, who is a solid No. 3 receiver and special teams ace Kalif Raymond round out the top four.
Beyond them, Detroit has three rookies who have all flashed in training camp or the preseason. Those players are third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa, seventh-round pick Dominic Lovett, and undrafted rookie Jordan Meeks. That said, most NFL teams don't carry seven receivers, which means at least one will be cut next week.
Given TeSlaa was a draft pick, his spot is safe, leaving Meeks and Lovett for what's likely the final spot. Unfortunately, the way things are trending, Lovett may be the odd man out next Tuesday when final roster cuts are made.
Lions Rookie WR Dominic Lovett Will Likely Get Cut Next Week
As soon as training camp began, Lovett started to catch the eyes of the media. During the first week of practice, the 22-year-old made some impressive catches and was making an impact on special teams. However, Lovett struggled during his preseason debut in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
In that game, the 22-year-old caught five passes of nine targets for 31 yards. The very first time he was targeted by quarterback Kyle Allen, he dropped the pass, leaving a bad taste in Lions fans' mouths. Following that game, Lovett sustained an abdominal injury during practice and didn't play in the Lions' next preseason game.
This left the door open for Meeks to take advantage, which he did. In the Lions' next preseason game, Meeks recorded three receptions on four targets for 78 yards and one touchdown. That was a shocking performance for a player who had been quiet in camp and didn't do anything in the Hall of Fame game.
Despite Lovett returning for Detroit's third preseason game against the Miami Dolphins, Meeks still outperformed him. Lovett recorded two receptions on three targets for 14 yards against the Dolphins, whereas Meeks had seven receptions on seven targets for 93 yards and a touchdown.
If the evaluation was based strictly on game performances, Meeks would have the advantage. Luckily for Lovett, it's not. Even so, it's hard to see the former Georgia Bulldog making the roster.
Nonetheless, monitoring how each player performs in Detroit's final preseason game on Saturday will be important for Lions fans.