Tag: Kalif Raymond

Kalif Raymond is an underrated piece to the Detroit Lions offense

Lions film room: Kalif Raymond is an underrated piece to the Detroit Lions offense

Some of the best stories that emerge from the NFL are players that went undrafted and carve themselves a serious role for a team. That is the case for Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond.

He went undrafted in 2016 to the Denver Broncos and bounced around from the New York Jets, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans. However, the Lions signed him in 2021 and he went on to have a career year with 48 receptions for 576 yards and four touchdowns.

Following up that career year in 2022, Raymond signed a two-year contract worth $9.5 million dollars and recorded 47 receptions for 616 yards. This led to another contract extension in 2023 that will keep him in Detroit through the 2025 season.

Last season, there was a slight drop off with production as he only had 35 receptions for 489 yards and one touchdown. That said, it appears that Raymond is better than he’s given credit for as a player.

As you can see in the graph posted above by Scott Barrett, Raymond is bunched together in a group of receivers that consists of Cooper Kupp, D.K. Metcalf, Jakobi Meyers and others. Let’s look at some of my favorite plays from him this past season.

https://x.com/RussNFLDraft/status/1711551761477935345

Starting with a play against the Carolina Panthers from last season, you’ll see the Lions aligned in ’11’ personnel (one running back and one tight end). One key thing you’ll notice is that Amon-Ra St. Brown isn’t on the field and essentially the player that “fills in” for him is Kalif Raymond.

Prior to the snap, Jared Goff puts Raymond in motion and once he gets past the tight end, Goff snaps the ball. After the snap, Goff fakes the hand off and looks downfield where you can see Raymond exploding vertically up field before breaking his route back inside toward Goff.

On this route, you’ll notice how explosive and quick Raymond is and you’ll see how strong he is by shaking off a tackler. This reception obviously leads to a big gain but it’s reassuring to know that Raymond can step onto the field at any time and be a threat in the passing game.

https://x.com/RussNFLDraft/status/1736941545603920077

Next, we move onto the game against the Denver Broncos last season. On the play above, the Lions come out with their ’12’ personnel (one running back and two tight ends. The two receivers on the field are Kalif Raymond and Jameson Williams.

Prior to the snap, Raymond is used in motion and is faced against man coverage as he gets vertically upfield. Meanwhile, this motion creates a mismatch as he then gets matched up against a linebacker. As he works outside and then back inside, you can see Raymond running this comeback route violently. This helps him gain or step or two on the linebacker to create separation, and it gives a clear window for Goff to deliver the pass.

Lastly, I want to focus on Raymond making a great adjustment and catch. On the road in Minnesota, the Lions come out in their ’11’ personnel (one running back and one tight end) and run a flood concept.

Aligned in the slot to the right of the formation is Raymond. He runs an out route under the fly route being run by Josh Reynolds. Despite the ball being placed high by Jared Goff, it’s a great adjustment made by Raymond.

There may be limited production for Kalif Raymond each week due to the Lions ability to spread the football around. That said, there appears to be no limitations in Raymond’s game as he wins in all three areas of the field. Meanwhile, he runs every route like it’s his last and he’s just a big play contributor to the offense in Detroit.

Last season, he averaged 13.4 yards per touch and only had a 4.5% drop percentage (2 drops). There may not be a 1,000 yard season on the horizon for Raymond but he’s a key piece to the offense each week. He fits exactly what the Lions preach from competing, work ethic and grit. The hard work and gritty style of play that Raymond shines through on tape on a weekly basis.

Top available NFL free agents represent very slim pickings for the Lions

There are very few available NFL free agents who hold any appeal at all for the Detroit Lions after the 2024 NFL draft

Sometimes the path doesn’t lead where you expect to walk…

Originally, I set out here to write a piece on some number of current NFL free agents who can help the Detroit Lions. I pulled up one available player list to find some potential names, and then another. And another. After looking at three lists, I had exactly four players written down.

“That can’t be right,” I thought. The Lions still have some holes to fill across the roster. While the starting 22 is pretty set in stone, or at least features worthy players competing, the depth at positions like wide receiver, offensive tackle and safety remains concerning. Surely there are some veteran free agents who can help!

And then I referenced another free agent ranking list, thinking maybe I missed something. Nope. So I walked away and dove into a different project, hoping that coming back later with a fresh perspective might lead to more beneficial conclusions on the free agent front.

In that time, one of the top free agent wide receivers, Odell Beckham Jr., signed with the Dolphins. Beckham is a player I know well from when I covered his Browns days, and I generally like and respect OBJ for both his game and his misunderstood persona. But it got me thinking about whether Beckham would even be an upgrade in Detroit.

The short answer: Nope.

Beckham has battled a lot of injuries over the years, from torn ACLs to core muscle surgeries, that have left him a shell of how a lot of fans remember him from his Giants prime. It might surprise Lions fans that Detroit’s own Kalif Raymond has more catches (130 to 79) for more yards (1,681 to 1,102) and fewer drops (five to six) than Beckham over the last three seasons.

Raymond is projected to be the Lions’ No. 4 wideout in 2024, behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Donovan Peoples-Jones. If you want to argue that Raymond belongs ahead of Peoples-Jones, I wouldn’t find fault. The larger point remains that in the Lions offense, continuity and chemistry matter a lot, and the incumbent foursome has that. Beckham has rather famously struggled to adjust to changing offenses and passers, something I watched firsthand with Baker Mayfield and then Matthew Stafford (in L.A.).

OBJ might sell more jerseys and be more recognizable than Kalif Raymond or Donovan Peoples-Jones, but that doesn’t make him a better player for Detroit in 2024.

The same is true for some of the bigger-named free agents still out there at other positions. Take Stephon Gilmore, a prominent name at cornerback who plays in the same style the Lions like to run. Gilmore turns 34 in September and is coming off shoulder surgery in January. He’s been on four teams in as many seasons and is looking for a fifth, and he’s never really recovered from the speed he lost after a torn quad in the 2020 season.

I’d rather see what his brother, Steven, can do in Detroit than pay for what Stephon used to be five years and two serious injuries ago. I feel the same about bringing a guard like Dalton Risner to be a reserve; let’s see what Colby Sorsdal, Giovanni Manu and Christian Mahogany can do on bargain-basement contracts and some developmental coaching instead.

Nothing against Risner, who is probably a better player today than anyone else the Lions have in reserve at guard. Will that still be true in November? And how much would that impact the development of the younger guys, or possibly even expose them to waivers from another team because there’s one less roster spot for them?

The Lions have done such a good job at crafting a culture and developing talent that it’s difficult to give up on younger talent with a more promising long-term future. Bringing in a wideout effectively means the team is giving up on 2023 draftee Antoine Green. Bringing in a defensive tackle is potentially throwing in the towel on Brodric Martin, Levi Onwuzurike, or sixth-round rookie Mekhi Wingo. Looking at the list of available names, there’s no guarantee anyone currently available is better in Detroit in 2024 than any of those guys.

The only four available free agents I’d have any real interest in signing right now–before any minicamp or early training camp injuries–are all on defense. Safety Justin Simmons, EDGE Carl Lawson, safety Quandre Diggs and safety Micah Hyde all make some sense if the price is right: one-year deals with low guaranteed salaries and no assurance of playing time, nothing more. The 2023 versions of Lawson and Diggs aren’t better than anyone already presumably on the 53-man roster, either.

Maybe it’s just the afterglow of a good Lions draft. Maybe I’m too confident in the revamped coaching staff in the secondary and defensive line spots. Maybe I’m undervaluing some of the veteran free agents, or some motley stew of all those factors. Maybe I’ll feel differently after seeing the newcomers in action in the coming minicamps. But I’m just not feeling the appeal of the available free agents for Detroit, not right now.

 

Lions flashback: Alex Anzalone, Kalif Raymond signed 3 years ago

3 years ago the Lions first signed Alex Anzalone and Kalif Raymond. They would epitomize the Brad Holmes free agency blueprint

It’s been three years to the day since the Lions added free agents Alex Anzalone and Kalif Raymond into the den. What at the time seemed like minor moves have turned into very shrewd deals for Detroit. They were also early indicators of the type of free agents that this Lions regime, and specifically GM Brad Holmes, are looking to add every year.

Anzalone was one of head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s former players with the New Orleans Saints, so he was not a surprise signing for the new regime in Detroit. Added on a one-year deal worth $1.75 million, the off-ball LB was a calculated gamble on a really good athlete and high football IQ player who had struggled to stay healthy in his career.

Raymond was more under-the-radar. A seldom-used, 5-foot-8 wideout for the Titans, Raymond’s signing did little to excite Lions fans accustomed to splashier additions. He was primarily viewed as the Jamal Agnew replacement as the Lions’ return specialist and gadget-play wideout. Of course, Raymond has proven to be much more than that. Only Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds have caught more passes for Detroit over the last three seasons than Raymond, who has also been a special teams fixture.

Both Anzalone and Raymond have re-signed with Detroit since those first free-agent contracts three years ago. Nothing says Brad Holmes more than that; instead of signing outsiders to lucrative long-term deals, Holmes offers fair-market, short-term deals to make sure a player fits and finds his role with Dan Campbell’s team. Hitting on these two and converting them into longer-term roster staples epitomizes the Holmes-Campbell era in Detroit and the Lions’ rise into a viable Super Bowl contender.

Lions final injury status report for the NFC Championship game

Detroir Lions final injury report for the NFC Championship game

The final Detroit Lions injury status report for Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers could have been worse. Despite some key players missing some practice time during the week, the Lions only ruled out two players.

Both those players, LG Jonah Jackson and WR Kalif Raymond, were anticipated to miss the game in Santa Clara with their injuries. Jackson suffered a knee injury in the Divisional round win over the Buccaneers, while Raymond, who also serves as the Lions’ primary return man, has been out since Week 18.

Two other Lions are questionable. Third-string QB Hendon Hooker has a tooth issue, while CB Chase Lucas earned it for an undisclosed illness.

Center Frank Ragnow will play, barring any setbacks, per head coach Dan Campbell. Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta also did not get an injury designation. LaPorta has played through the pain in both playoff wins thus far.

James Houston also does not carry an injury status designation into the matchup with the 49ers after being a full participant in practice all week. Houston was activated prior to last week’s game but was inactive for the win over the Buccaneers.

Lions inactives vs. Buccaneers: James Houston will not play

Lions inactives vs. Buccaneers: James Houston will not play while Sam LaPorta is active

There was one big question lingering over the Detroit Lions and their inactive player list for Sunday’s playoff matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

Would James Houston be active?

Detroit activated Houston from injured reserve during the week, but the second-year pass rusher was listed as questionable for the NFC Divisional Round game with the ankle injury that has kept him sidelined since September.

And it will continue to keep Houston out. He’s one of the seven inactive Lions for the game.

Houston and Kalif Raymond are the injury-related inactive players. Tight end Sam LaPorta was listed as questionable but he will play.

Lions final injury report for divisional round game vs. Buccaneers

Lions final injury report for divisional round game vs. Buccaneers has one player out and two more questoinable

The final Detroit Lions injury report for the Divisional Round matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a pretty light one for the home team. The Lions only ruled out one player due to injury, with two others questionable after Friday’s practice.

Wide receiver and primary return specialist Kalif Raymond will miss his second consecutive game with a knee injury. Raymond was injured in the Week 18 win over the Minnesota Vikings. He did not practice at all during the week.

Tight end Sam LaPorta and EDGE James Houston are each listed as questionable. LaPorta was limited in the final two days of practice with his knee injury, also suffered in the regular-season finale against the Vikings. Houston, activated off the injured reserve on Thursday, is still dealing with the ankle injury he suffered in Week 2.

All other Lions players were full participants in the final two days of practice and none carry any injury designation status for Sunday’s game.

Lions injury report: Kalif Raymond still out, Cam Sutton no longer listed

Raymond was the only Lions player who was listed as not practicing in Wednesday’s walkthrough

The first Detroit Lions practice participation report for the team’s Divisional Round matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a couple of interesting points. The Lions released an estimated participation from Wednesday’s walkthrough.

The only player listed as not participating is wide receiver Kalif Raymond. The speedy receiver and return specialist remains sidelined with a knee injury suffered in the Week 18 win over the Vikings. Frank Ragnow would have sat it out as a veteran rest day, too.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone was listed as limited with shoulder and rib injuries. Anzalone briefly left the win over the Rams with a shoulder issue, which he appeared to suffer on the game’s opening drive.

Some other players who have ongoing injuries were noted as full participants. That includes TE Sam LaPorta, who played without limits in Sunday night’s win. Cornerback Cam Sutton was not one of those, however. Sutton has been a fixture on the injury reports with a toe issue, but he is no longer deemed injured enough to earn a mention on the injury report.

Lions Thursday injury report: James Mitchell added, 3 OL return to action

Detroit Lions Thursday injury report: TE James Mitchell added, 3 OL return to action ahead of Sunday’s playoff game against the Rams

The penultimate Detroit Lions injury report for wild card week came out after Thursday’s practice session. Tight end Sam LaPorta and wideout Kalif Raymond were both still out with injuries suffered in the Week 18 win over Minnesota.

They were joined as non-participants by cornerback Jerry Jacobs (thigh/knee) and backup QB Teddy Bridgewater, who was out for personal reasons.

The only other player who wasn’t a full go was tight end James Mitchell, who was listed as limited with a hand injury. Mitchell was a full participant on Wednesday.

During Wednesday’s practice, offensive linemen Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow and Frank Ragnow all sat out with veteran rest designation. They were all back on Thursday.

Which Detroit Lions players have postseason experience?

How many Lions with postseason experience can you name?

It’s been a long time since the Detroit Lions made the postseason. Despite the seven-year playoff drought, there are still several current Lions players with some postseason experience.

Only two current Lions were on the team when last Detroit made the postseason. Left tackle Taylor Decker and right guard Graham Glasgow started in the wild-card loss to the Saints after the 2016 season.

Several other Lions do have some playoff notches in their belts.

Lions polish off Vikings, tie team record for wins in a season

Detroit’s 12th win ties a team record set back in 1991, the last year the Lions won a postseason game. 

The Detroit Lions successfully defended the den in the regular season finale against the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions held off the Vikings, 30-20, in the Week 18 matchup in Ford Field.

Jared Goff threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns in a mistake-free offensive performance. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs each rushed for a touchdown as well in an uneven game that saw Detroit convert just one of its nine third-down attempts.

Big plays and special teams ruled the day for Detroit, which improved to 12-5 with the win. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a 70-yard touchdown pass, and Kalif Raymond ignited a drive with a 42-yard punt return and also chipped in with a 41-yard catch-and-run. Punter Jack Fox had a fantastic game and his coverage units were sharp, too.

The defense also made some big plays. Detroit sacked Nick Mullens four times and forced him into two fourth-quarter interceptions under heavy pressure. Aidan Hutchinson bagged two sacks and had another 12-yard tackle-for-loss, while rookie LB Jack Campbell notched a sack amongst his team-high 11 tackles.

The victory could be a costly one for Detroit. Pro Bowl tight end Sam LaPorta and Raymond both left the game with knee injuries that could impact their availability in the wild card round next weekend.

Detroit’s 12th win ties a team record set back in 1991, the last year the Lions won a postseason game. The Vikings finish 7-10 a year after winning the NFC North.

[lawrence-related id=101560]