Stop projecting first-round tight ends for the Lions in 2023

There seems to be a reflexive “replace Hockenson” mindset by the national media. Here’s why that couldn’t be more wrong for Detroit.

Sitting in the Hancock Whitney Stadium stands for a Senior Bowl practice last week, MLive Lions reporter Ben Raven, Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News and myself were approached by a well-known national media member about the Lions possibly selecting a tight end high in the 2023 NFL draft.

“I don’t think they’re taking one at all, to be honest,” Raven responded to a dumbfounded inquisitor. Bianchi and I quickly nodded our heads in agreement.

Herein lies one of the primary disconnects between those who closely follow the Detroit Lions and those who view the team from more distance.

Tight end is generally listed by national media as one of the Lions’ biggest needs. In fact, it’s the No. 1 or No. 2 offensive need listed for Detroit at CBS Sports, NFL.com, The Draft Network, Pro Football Focus and ESPN, all within the last month.

Never mind that the team doesn’t currently have a right guard, not with Evan Brown a free agent and Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Tommy Kraemer both coming off back surgeries that caused them to miss the entire 2022 season. Or that Jared Goff is literally the only quarterback on the entire roster, including reserve/future contracts. Or that running backs No. 1 (Jamaal Williams) and No. 3 (Justin Jackson) are free agents, as is wide receiver No. 2 (DJ Chark).

Nope. None of that matters because national pundits have to conclude that the Lions desperately need a new tight end to replace the one they traded away, Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson.

It seems nobody asks the question of why the Lions traded away Hockenson in the first place.

Hockenson is in Minnesota instead of Detroit for a couple of reasons. Foremost is that the Lions knew they were never going to pay the market rate to keep Hockenson, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract and had already been making noise about a lucrative extension. Most projections for Hockenson’s next contract start in the $15 million-a-year range, and that’s simply not something the Lions were not going to consider.

It wasn’t discontent with Hockenson. Far from it. Hockenson had just posted one of the best games by a tight end in NFL history. This current Detroit offense, led by rising star OC Ben Johnson and head coach Dan Campbell, a longtime NFL tight end himself, simply doesn’t require a premium tight end to operate effectively.

Folks outside of Detroit might not know the names Brock Wright or James Mitchell. Inside Allen Park, those guys are viewed as great fits for exactly what this Lions team wants from its tight ends. They can chip-and-release, they can execute the run-blocking assignments, and they can motion or flex out depending on the set.

Wright caught four touchdown passes after Hockenson was traded. No. 3 tight end Shane Zylstra caught three in one game. Like Wright and Mitchell, he’s under contractual control through at least 2024.

The key player here is Mitchell. Detroit’s fifth-round pick in 2022, Mitchell started slowly as he recovered from a knee injury suffered near the end of his collegiate career at Virginia Tech. A well-built 6-foot-4 and 250-pound athlete, Mitchell proceeded to catch every single pass thrown his way in 2022 and improved as a blocker along the way.

The Lions love Mitchell. Love him, in a way that’s difficult to explain to someone on the outside who only sees 11 receptions for a fifth-round rookie they probably spent 10 minutes scouting over a year ago.

Back to the offense. After sputtering in the first week without Hockenson, a game the Lions also played without Chark or No. 3 WR Josh Reynolds and with top WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and explosive RB D’Andre Swift severely limited with injuries, the Jared Goff-led offense (no, I can’t call it the Goffense, sorry) soared without having a high-end tight end.

Instead of using Hockenson as one of the primary targets, Campbell and Johnson opened up the field more without their alpha tight end. It worked beautifully. Goff didn’t throw an interception the rest of the season and the Lions offense efficiently hummed along as one of the NFL’s best and most diverse. Wright, Mitchell and Zylstra provided enough firepower at TE on their own, notably in the red zone.

In short, the Lions didn’t miss Hockenson the player.

Should the Lions consider adding a tight end this offseason? Absolutely. Zylstra, for his red-zone heroics, is a low-end blocker and eminently replaceable. Depth is always welcomed. But it’s absolutely not a priority need for the Lions. Be very surprised if you see Detroit drafting a tight end before about the fifth round. I know I would be.

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The Lions should cut both David Blough and Tim Boyle

The Lions should cut both David Blough and Tim Boyle after unacceptable performances by both backup QBs all summer

The summer-long battle between Tim Boyle and David Blough to be the backup quarterback in Detroit did not end well. That’s an understatement almost as egregious as some of the passes offered up by the duo in the Lions’ 19-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the preseason finale on Sunday evening.

Blough was spirited but underwhelming, showing the ability to make some fun improvisational plays but a stark inability to make several routine throws from the pocket or in the red zone. Yet he was miles better in Pittsburgh than Boyle, who started the game after outperforming Blough in the exhibition win in Indianapolis a week earlier.

After the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell dodged saying anything directly about either of the reserve QBs–both of whom the Lions re-signed this offseason as free agents.

“Here’s what I would say,” Campbell said when questioned about the battle for QB2 in Detroit. “It became very clear. I think we got things answered. And I would leave it at that.”

He reiterated that same basic point a few more times.

“I feel like we got a lot of clarity.”

Watching the game, I also experienced clarity on the backup QB position. Neither Boyle nor Blough deserves to be Jared Goff’s backup. Neither showed enough all summer to merit the right to carry the clipboard and be one Jared Goff injury away from being in control of the Lions offense. That has become abundantly clear in the last month-plus of training camp and three preseason games.

One unorthodox solution, one that I would strongly suggest GM Brad Holmes and the Lions consider:

Cut them both.

Now, that cannot be done without a clear plan of succession. And right now the alternatives are not very appealing in their own right. But players better than both Blough and Boyle will become available no later than Tuesday.

It could be a trade of an extra wide receiver (Tom Kennedy?) or offensive lineman (Logan Stenberg?) who will have more value to other teams than they do in Detroit. Guys like Sam Ehlinger in Indianapolis, Josh Rosen in Cleveland, Kellen Mond in Minnesota, Mike White with the Jets are all facing uphill roster battles to make their respective teams. All are young enough to offer some potential to stick in Detroit beyond 2022. More than Blough or Boyle in that regard, anyway.

Going through the roster cutdown to 53 players on Tuesday and only having one QB on the roster is unconventional. It’s a dangerous acknowledgment by the Lions organization that their backup plan at QB has failed, quite literally.

But it sure doesn’t seem any more dangerous than trusting the team to Blough or Boyle. Not after the summer we’ve seen from them both. They were given their best shots to prove otherwise, but instead only affirmed that it’s just not going to work. Keeping Blough–who is indeed the better option of the duo–means that a better player at a different position (RB Justin Jackson? Stenberg? Rookie CB Chase Lucas?) will not make the 53-man roster because of it.

It’s a radical approach, different than the weird but ultimately correct choice last year to cut both kickers at the end of the preseason. While any Lions fan can tell you a kicker is important, finding a passable one off the street is a lot easier than finding a competent backup QB. But the fundamental principle behind that decision is the same, and it’s a well where Holmes, Campbell and the Lions should dip into once again.

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Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand offers a telling quote on the new philosophy in Detroit

Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand offers a telling quote on the new coaching philosophy in Detroit

These are not Matt Patricia’s Detroit Lions anymore. And a great, insightful quote from one of the few coaching holdovers from Patricia’s regime into the Dan Campbell era illustrates why the sordid past is dead.

Lions passing game coordinator and tight ends coach Tanner Engstrand met with the media during OTAs earlier this week. Engstrand was an offensive assistant for the team in 2020, Patricia’s final year. He carried over when Campbell believed enough in his ability to keep him in Detroit.

It’s easy to see why. This answer Engstrand provided when asked about what his role with the Lions entails is straight out of Dan Campbell Philosophy 101.

Engstrand’s final line here is the critical point,

“Finding what the guys do best and really trying to focus in on those types of things.”

Sounds pretty self-obvious and simple, right? Yet it is not something that every coaching staff embraces or even acknowledges. Think back to 2018-2020 in Detroit, where the coaching staff had to have players who fit very precise roles they predetermined. Even very skilled veterans who didn’t fit that precast mold (think Darius Slay, Golden Tate, Quandre Diggs) weren’t given the leverage to play to their personal strengths.

As Engstrand carefully pointed out, that’s the antithesis of the Dan Campbell philosophy. It’s something new offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has talked about extensively in his offseason work with quarterback Jared Goff, too.

“One thing that we’ve done is included him a lot in what we’re trying to do schematically, and so we spent some time this offseason watching more of the stuff he did a few years ago in LA and how we can incorporate some of that, while also challenging him to take the next step in some areas of improvement for him as a player as well,” Johnson said during the Lions recent minicamp.

Imagine the audacity of seeking out reasons to play to the strengths of the players who proved good enough to make the NFL!

In all seriousness, this is where Campbell’s years as a player are a major asset. Most of his assistants played in the NFL too, though Engstrand–a college QB at San Diego State–is not one of them. The ex-players understand the dynamics of talent diversity and individuality, something Campbell clearly stresses in his coaching style.

Campbell loves to use the phrase “cut from the same cloth” when talking about his relationship with GM Brad Holmes but also in what he looks for in both players and assistant coaches. Engstrand might have predated Campbell in Detroit but it’s clear the same seamstress wove his coaching philosophy.

Opinion: Lions would be lucky to be on Hard Knocks in 2022

The Detroit Lions are 1 of 3 teams that could be on Hard Knocks in 2021 and it would be great if the Lions are chosen as the subject

Could the Detroit Lions be the NFL team featured on the 2022 edition of “Hard Knocks”? Fans can only hope so.

The Lions are one of three primary contenders to appear on the annual behind-the-scenes show through one team’s training camp and preseason. Along with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, the Lions are one of just three teams who meet all the qualifications to be the subject of the popular HBO documentary series.

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I’m very hopeful the Lions are the chosen one. It’s a wonderful opportunity to observe and learn a lot more about the players, the coaches and how the organization goes about its business. Fans should be clamoring to see more of GM Brad Holmes, head coach Dan Campbell, special assistant Chris Spielman and the cadre of former players on Campbell’s staff in action.

Back in 2018, the Cleveland Browns were the subject team. I was there for much of training camp while covering the team for Browns Wire, and I got to see firsthand how beneficial it can be. In Cleveland’s case, it exposed the dysfunction in the organization. Head coach Hue Jackson’s tenuous grasp of control over headstrong defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and irritable offensive coordinator Todd Haley was something the fans needed to see to understand just how bad things really were inside the organization. The transparency provided by the omnipresent cameras and the dramatic editing choices helped lead to a much-needed in-season upheaval.

Lions senior personnel executive John Dorsey was Cleveland’s GM at the time, and the production did not flinch in highlighting his positive and negative moments. It was something the fans, and the broader football media, needed to see. Dorsey would likely object to being on the show again, though he’s no longer in a critical decision-making role.

The cameras and crew are everywhere, but they’re absolutely not a distraction. For those who haven’t been to training camp or an NFL practice, there are already cameras everywhere filming multiple angles of reps. It’s been that way for years. The players and coaches are used to it. It’s like wallpaper. After the second day of camp, I didn’t even notice they were a different camera crew from the regular Browns staffers working on the practice fields. That sentiment was shared by many.

It’s a no-lose situation. If Campbell and his crew are the real deal, as many fans want them to be, Hard Knocks will provide ample evidence of a well-run, competent organization. That would be a refreshing relief for long-suffering Detroit fans. Likewise, if the cameras reveal (like they did in Cleveland) that the staff is swimming in way too deep water, the exposure will help drown the hype. For the fans who think Campbell is a clueless meathead, Hard Knocks would be the proof in your pudding of negativity and foster change.

Beyond that, it’s a great way to get to know the players better. Hard Knocks does a fantastic job of finding interesting stories with the players. They dive deep into backstories. You’ll learn which Lions players have weird off-field hobbies, fun passions, inspiring charity interests or are just someone fans will really love. The players like that too, by and large.

So I’m hopeful the Lions land on Hard Knocks this year and the world can see what the Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell Lions are really all about.

No Lions in the Pro Bowl? No problem!

No Detroit Lions garnered Pro Bowl berths for the 2021 season, but our Jeff Risdon believes that shouldn’t bother Lions fans

Not a single Detroit Lions player was selected for the Pro Bowl from the 2021 season. Not one.

Four players were chosen as alternates, but getting in as a third alternate in the way fullback Jason Cabinda could is the football equivalent of winning an F1 race because all the cars ahead of you crash on the final lap.

It’s an affront to Lions players who have performed consistently well despite the lack of team success. Cornerback Amani Oruwariye was tabbed as an “egregious snub” by Touchdown Wire, and that’s spot on. He’s not the only Detroit player overlooked because of some combination of the team’s 2-11-1 record, lack of national prominence, lack of sizzle players and being relegated to having Chris Myers call half their games for FOX.

Has there been a better right tackle than Penei Sewell? Both the eye test and the Pro Football Focus grading say he’s the best RT in the league. But he’s not even a Pro Bowl alternate. Maybe it stems from him playing half the year out of position at left tackle, though Sewell was still pretty good on the left side too.

Three Lions made the Pro Bowl after the 2020 season: Frank Ragnow, Jack Fox and T.J. Hockenson. Ragnow has missed almost all of 2021 with a thumb injury. Hockenson is now on IR after thumb surgery of his own, though he was one of the four Lions named as an alternate. Fox is technically having a better year in 2021 in gross yards per punt and ranks the same (third) leaguewide, so he’s a viable snub too.

There was no game last year, of course. And the players who did earn spots in the annual exhibition would likely prefer to not have the game played in 2022 either; the trip to Las Vegas with the family and colleagues is great, but the watered-down game itself has become a pointless cash grab of declining prestige in search of a paying audience.

Would it be nice if Oruwariye, Sewell, Fox or OLB Charles Harris made an appearance in the Pro Bowl? Of course. Are they deserving? Probably. Does it really matter? Other than for bonus incentives in contracts, heck no!

More knowledgeable and hardcore fans are coming to realize that it’s All-Pro nods that matter, not Pro Bowls. Between fan voting, virulently effective PR campaigns by teams to promote obscure players to get votes, and reflexive reactions based on team records or player reputations that might be woefully outdated (see: Alvin Kamara), there is a growing realization that the Pro Bowl isn’t the honor it used to be.

That’s a good thing. From a Lions perspective, it will be better when the team gets players honored with Pro Bowl nods who don’t really deserve it. Until then, forget about the popularity contest and the worst of the professional sports exhibitions, just as the Pro Bowl has forgotten about the Detroit Lions.

Lions 1 year after firing Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia: Still waiting for the sun to come out

The Detroit Lions offered hope when they fired Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia one year ago, but the sun has yet to rise for the franchise

Last year at this time, the Detroit Lions had just fired GM Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia after a humiliating loss on Thanksgiving. Everyone was wondering where the Lions and new owner Sheila Ford Hamp would go, but the overall tone was one of relief, of the sun beginning to rise after a very dark time.

“The sun will come out tomorrow”

One year later, the Lions are the NFL’s worst team. In a season with some really bad rosters around the league, no one has been worse than Detroit. Between the meager talent in too many spots on the roster and the foibles and growing pains of a rookie head coach, the Lions remain winless. They haven’t won a game in almost a full calendar year, with the last win coming in interim head coach Darrell Bevell’s debut in Week 13 a year ago. It’s now Week 13 again and the Lions are going to need a lot of breaks to pull off an upset home win over the Vikings on Sunday.

“Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there will be sun”

So far, the sun has not risen. It hasn’t gotten any darker, but the new dawn everyone wanted has yet to crack the sky. Lions fans keep looking to the east with increasingly anxious eyes, but it’s becoming harder by the week to invest in sunglasses that might never be required.

“So you gotta hang on ’til tomorrow, come what may”

Optimism is in short supply, but it is something that many Lions fans desperately cling to. Avoiding the 0-17 darkness was a thin ray of light. Earning the No. 1 overall pick and holding another, improving-by-the-week first round selection in what is shaping up to be a very good draft class, is enough to raise the sunken spirits.

The last year has not gone as well as hoped. While most everyone understood and expected that the rebuild wouldn’t happen overnight, few thought it would take so long to see any positive results. Fans and media are (rightly) tired of moral victories, of covering the spread but straight-up not having a good time.

“I love ya tomorrow, you’re always a day away”

Dan Campbell needs to do more than just saying ‘that’s on me’ after embarrassing Week 8 loss to Eagles

Lions coach Dan Campbell needs to do more than just saying ‘that’s on me’ after embarrassing Week 8 loss to Eagles

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Lions head coach Dan Campbell entered the media room at Ford Field after his team’s abysmal 44-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8 and immediately hung his head in disgust at what his team had just done. It was one of the worst losses in memory for a team with a lot more bad losses than most franchises experience, and Campbell knew it.

Before the questions even started, Campbell tackled the elephant in the room and took the blame for his team’s inexcusable performance.

“We got pushed around bad. We got pushed around bad,” Campbell acknowledged. “We weren’t ready and so ultimately that does—you guys asked it earlier in the week. It did, it happened again. And so, I felt like we got outcoached today, we got outplayed across the board. And that does, that starts with me, man. Starts with me. It really does. You don’t play that bad with a number of guys in areas, and turn the ball over and penalties, and it’s the low energy, and it’s just—you don’t do that unless that comes from the top. So that’s on me. I did not set the tone or the tempo properly, obviously, because that was bad. That was bad. We didn’t even give ourselves a chance.”

Campbell was correct in his assessment. This game was a very poor reflection on his coaching ability. It’s not the first clunker of a game, either. The habitually slow starts — this was the fourth time in eight games the Lions have been shut out at halftime — are on his watch. The inability to attack what are otherwise bad defenses remains an ongoing issue for Campbell and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, who deserves some intense scrutiny for his game plans and facilitation of QB Jared Goff’s timid play, too.

The bye week comes at a time where the rookie head coach can go in any number of directions. His team is certainly constrained by a talent gap, but at some point, that excuse doesn’t cut it anymore. Campbell has to improve his coaching enough to instill confidence in the players that what he’s selling them on will actually work. Right now, that’s not happening. Only winning a game or two will snap that funk.

Campbell knows that. This is a man who experienced 0-16 in Detroit in 2008 as a player (all but one game on injured reserve). Self-scouting and changing course was not something his Lions predecessor did well. If Campbell wants to earn the confidence of his players, of the fans, and of the increasingly critical media, it’s imperative he figures out how to get his team as ready for the weaker opponents as he has proven he can do with the stronger ones. Close losses to good teams don’t mean anything if they’re continually followed by humiliating defeats to lesser ones, but that’s the futile cycle Campbell has the Lions riding in his first eight games.

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Being accountable means doing more than just saying you’re responsible. It means taking actions to prevent further beatdowns like the one a not-very-good Eagles team just put on you. That’s the challenge for Campbell for the bye week and the remainder of the season. Any further “efforts” like what the Lions showed in Week 8 are indications that Campbell’s coaching simply is not working, even taking into account the limited talent and myriad key injuries on the roster.

Lions QB Jared Goff ignoring outside noises, setting high expectations

Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff is ignoring the media outside of Allen and has high hopes and expectations for the Lions 2021 season

After the trade of Matthew Stafford, everyone knew the Detroit Lions were heading for a rebuild. With a rookie general manager and head coach, expectations are kept to a minimum surrounding the team. Most believe the Lions have a better chance at the number one pick in the draft than securing over five wins this season. With several weak areas around the roster coupled with too many unknowns, this does not come as a surprise to anyone, unless you talk to quarterback Jared Goff.

Goff talked to the media on Monday and came out and said he doesn’t read anything from the media and has tuned out all the outside noise. Instead, he is setting his own expectations for himself and the team instead of allowing outside noise to dictate how the Lions will perform this season.

“It’s a new regime, new staff; they weren’t very good last year,” Goff told reporters. “It’s a whole new thing, and I understand it, but just like every other team in this league, there are expectations. I don’t know what the stat is, but every year there are new teams in the playoffs. Every year there are teams that were in the playoffs last year that aren’t. Why not us? Why can’t we be that one that wasn’t in last year that is this year? Again, it starts one week at a time, but internally, our expectations are as high as anyone else.”

With so many new faces surrounding the organization, chemistry within the team is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see many of the starters perform outside of the first game of the preseason, leaving many of the questions around the team still up in the air and left unanswered. For Goff, though, this is quite normal.

“That was the approach taken in LA, and it worked for us. Here we played in the first game, and I feel like it’s worked. We supplemented it well in practice and have gotten the work we need in, and we all trust Dan, and I think the plan is great, and we’re ready to go,” Goff said.

The coaching staff used the preseason as an evaluation tool instead of implementing reps for the first team. It could go in either direction, but it feels like the coaching staff has structured their practices well enough to overcome the potential drawbacks while building the trust and chemistry for the offense to grow.

“I think just continuing to get better every day. There are a million things, whether it’s run game, run action, play pass, drop back. You know everything that we’re trying to work on every single day, work in progress, and trying to improve, and I feel like we’ve come a long way. I mentioned this last week. I feel like we’re settling in really well and ready to go for San Francisco.”

With the receiver corps going through a complete overhaul, it was going to be interesting to see which players would perform and potentially be a trusted outlet for Goff. It has become clear T.J. Hockenson is Goff’s go-to man, but another player looks to have to build a good rapport with the Lions quarterback, Kalif Raymond.

“It’s always surprising guys like him who kind of bounced around the league for a few years and seems like he’s found a place to stick it. I’ve loved him. He’s been tremendous, works hard every day, does his job works hard, shows up is consistent, we can rely on him we can trust him, and that’s kind of the bottom line of a quarterback if you can trust a guy if you can know where he is going to be put him on the field and we feel pretty good about it. It’s really cool to see he’s been cut a few times, and now he’s kind of making a name for himself, and it’s exciting.”

With the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers right around the corner, Goff is excited to get into Ford Field and feed off the energy from the crowd after he got a taste of it in the preseason.  He is holding himself and the team to higher expectations than most would give them credit for. With the outside noise pounding the potential ineptness of the Lions, Goff is choosing to ignore the negativity and potentially surprise the doubters.

“I don’t really know what surprises would look like, but we feel really good. I’ve talked about this at length. Internally our expectations are to win games and then, first of all, win the division that’s always the expectations, win the division and then go from there. Externally couldn’t care less and honestly don’t really know what it would be. So hopefully, if there is something to surprise, we will do that, but you know every day is a new day, and we’re just trying to win.”

Could Kelvin Harmon bolster the Lions receiving corps?

With the lackluster Detroit Lions receiving corps, could the team take a chance on Kelvin Harmon to help bolster the group? Our Zack Moran takes a look.

The Detroit Lions receiving corps will not win hearts and minds across the league and the fan base. There are too many unknowns surrounding them that it’s not easy to find an area to hang your hand on. Will Tyrell Williams overcome his injuries? Does Breshad Perriman emerge as a viable deep threat? Can Quintez Cephus take the next step forward? The questions go on and on, leaving much doubt for success from the receivers.

With the first preseason game in the books, rosters have to be trimmed down to 85 from 90, unfortunately leaving many players looking for a job. Now you can down two avenues with the cuts either cut veterans to give them a shot grabbing somewhere else or hit the bottom part of the roster. Typically not many who are among the first wave of cuts end up getting on another team. Still, there is one player that was recently cut from the Washington Football Team that could potentially help one of the most problematic areas on the Lions roster.

Former sixth-round pick Kelvin Harmon was a victim of loaded Washington receiving corps that features Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel (who was just removed from the PUP list), Adam Humphries, and rookie Dyami Brown; it was going to be an uphill battle for Harmon to make the squad.

Harmon missed all of the 2020 season after he tore his ACL and couldn’t prove himself to newly hired coach Ron Rivera. During his 2019 rookie season, Harmon played in all 16 games. He really came on late in the season after Washington made a quarterback change, finishing the season with 30 catches, 69.8% completion percentage, and 365 yards. He played mostly as the X-receiver but played a little in the slot.

He is a big-bodied, physical receiver at 6’2”, 215 pounds which gives him the upper hand in press coverage. He does most of his damage in intermediate routes and is great at contested catches due to his strong hands and big frame. He will not beat anyone with his speed and Harmon’s explosion lacks a bit, giving him issues creating separation. He is a willing blocker who is not hard-pressed to do the dirty work and creating opportunities for his fellow teammates.

The problem that may lead to a fit for the Lions is those speed and separation issues. If you look at the type of receivers the Lions have brought in this offseason, they are fast players who can easily create separation. So far, Jared Goff has been reluctant to throw into coverage and would rather take the quick throw or check-downs, however. It could be due to not enough chemistry with the receivers or other underlying issues, but that could pose a problem with how well Harmon could fit in the Lions scheme.

Next, he would be competing with Quintez Cephus for that big slot, outside receiver role. So far through camp, he has not taken that next step forward and is currently battling a head injury. It would be hard to say if Harmon could win out the job considering he wasn’t able to accomplish that in Washington, but he is not competing with the likes of McLaurin and Samuel anymore.

Harmon is only 24, fully healthy, and has the necessary tools to be a productive receiver. Sometimes his lack of speed may get the better of him, but he has good route running skills and is a master at contested catches due to his size and length. The biggest question will be, will Goff give him the opportunity to throw to him if he’s covered?

He does display the toughness and grit the coaching staff loves from their players and is willing to do anything it takes to make the team successful. With the Lions receiving corps one of the worst in the league, could they pull the trigger and this young receiver?

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It’s time for the Lions to end the Jahlani Tavai experiment

Why the Lions need to cut LB Jahlani Tavai now instead of drawing out the inevitable

When the Detroit Lions announce the next player cuts to get to Tuesday’s deadline of 85 players, don’t expect Jahlani Tavai’s name to be among them. But it should be, for the better of all parties involved.

Tavai struggled through his first two seasons in Detroit for a variety of reasons. Many of them are not his fault, from his draft status to the prior coaching regime’s insistence he bulk up to 270 pounds as an off-ball linebacker.

Those hindrances are now gone. He looks great in his slimmed-down physique, and the coaching and scheme clearly suit him (and the whole team) better. Yet Tavai still fails to look like he belongs on an NFL field even in a preseason game. And he failed because of reasons he can control.

The hope with Tavai was that the sleeker body would make him quicker and faster. Those are mutually exclusive traits. Alas, neither really improved other than his straight-line speed, and that is not something an inside linebacker utilizes very often. The lack of quickness is the primary issue, at least physically.

Tavai’s 2019-2020 game film is littered with examples of his lack of lateral agility and foot quickness keeping him from making a play. There were two specific instances of the same issue happening on Friday night against Buffalo. He sees where he needs to be and tries, but the combination of quickness and speed to close to the point of attack just aren’t good enough. His lack of quickness literally got in the way of teammate Austin Bryant and cost the Lions a tackle-for-loss opportunity on one of the plays.

Then there’s the mental quickness, a critical trait for a linebacker. Tavai just doesn’t process the information he’s seeing into action quickly enough. Unfortunately, this is something that still rears its ugly head in nearly every practice in Allen Park. It definitely did in Ford Field on Friday, too.

Safety Will Harris has the same issue, but Harris — like Tavai a 2019 prospect woefully overdrafted by the Lions — at least has the speed and athleticism to compensate. He too will wait too long to react, but Harris is such a good athlete that he can make it work. And he’s been doing a better job in his third summer with the team, enough that there might be a successful salvage story with Will Harris in Detroit.

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It’s not going to happen for Tavai. Anyone who watches practice knows it. The linebacking corps around him is much better now with the additions of rookie Derrick Barnes and underappreciated vet Shaun Dion Hamilton, both of whom are behind free agent Alex Anzalone. Tavai isn’t beating out any of them for the off-ball LB spot next to Jamie Collins, who has been consistently great in camp before his sleepwalking performance on Friday night. He’s not as big of an asset on special teams as Jalen Reeves-Maybin or Anthony Pittman, each of whom has also outshined Tavai at LB on the practice field most of the time, too.

It’s sad that it didn’t work for Tavai in Detroit. I liked him as a prospect coming out of Hawaii and thought that he could be a real asset, even if he was selected a little higher than he should have been. He’s a good person, a great teammate and gives his best all the time. Tavai has never been anything but gracious and giving to the fans even though they’ve largely loathed him from the get-go.

Alas, Tavai’s best just isn’t good enough for the new-look Lions. It’s time to let him try and prove himself with another team, and cutting him right away maximizes that chance.