The Detroit Lions have become an offensive juggernaut in recent years, as the roster moves they have made on that side of the ball have continued to pay off in a big way.
While Ben Johnson has moved on to his first head coaching role in the NFL, the core pieces of the puzzle remain in place in Detroit, and the Lions only upgraded their, talent base of skill position players during the 2025 NFL Draft.
One rookie in particular already looks primed to take on a large role within the offense, and that makes one veteran playmaker a bit more expendable than he otherwise would have been entering the 2025 campaign.
Lions Rookie Isaac TeSlaa Has Already Made Tim Patrick Expendable
While these are, largely, controlled atmospheres for players, Isaac TeSlaa has turned heads during Detroit's offseason program with some of the plays he has made on the practice field. The likelihood of TeSlaa's play thus far leading to any significant roster decisions before training camp is slim. However, if he continues to perform at this level, effectively forcing the coaching staff to get him on the field, veteran wide receiver Tim Patrick would be the player deemed expendable.
Boy does this look familiar… 👀
— Jacob Morris (@JacobMorrisTV) May 10, 2025
Isaac TeSlaa already making plays at camp in Detroit! #WPS
pic.twitter.com/Q5Fm7glned
Detroit expects for TeSlaa to be a key contributor one day. They wouldn't have selected him with their third-round pick otherwise, and that time could come sooner rather than later if he can keep this level of play up throughout the regular season.
This isn't to suggest that Patrick is no longer valuable to the franchise. He is just an option that is a bit further down the line for Jared Goff when the All-Pro quarterback is in the pocket looking for a target to deliver the ball to. Having a younger, less expensive option to turn to is something any good organization would consider, and that is a question Detroit has to answer now.
The Lions selected TeSlaa with the No. 70 overall pick after the wide receiver completed his collegiate career with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 214 pounds, TeSlaa has the combination of size and speed, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds at the NFL Combine, which offensive coordinators salivate over.