Getty Dan Campbell interacts with a referee during a Lions-Vikings game in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have found winning hard so far this season, and their roster has been depleted in plenty of spots to the point where players off the street or practice squad have had to play a meaningful role for the team.
Such things are not always ideal for a team, but for a squad like Detroit amid a rebuild, it can be a good learning experience not only for the players but for the coaching staff as well in terms of finding out about the players they are leading. Such has been the case for Dan Campbell and the Lions.
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While the team has had their struggles with health, it’s given other players a chance to step up and shine, particularly rookies and other talents that would typically be on the borderline for the franchise. That’s been especially true at wideout, where the team was hampered by the loss of Quintez Cephus to injury and the injury release of Tyrell Williams. Even such, the group has managed to continue to stick together and deliver some results down the stretch.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, December 15, Campbell singled out the wideout group specifically as a portion of the team that is growing and starting to develop as he likes.
“I feel like our receivers are really coming on over the last three, four weeks and particularly, these last two weeks. I feel like they’re doing some real good things man, we’re getting a lot more crisp, a lot more detail, guys are making plays, so I’m encouraged,” Campbell told the media. “I feel like it’s not as cloudy as it was before. You’re starting to see things a little better.”
Campbell’s eyes have not lied. The team is starting to make bigger gains in the passing game given the fact they have thrown for a total of 633 yards and 6 in the last three weeks alone. That might not seem like much, but to these Lions, it’s a relative offensive explosion.
Campbell Explains ‘Opportunity’ Young Players Have With Lions
In terms of a chance to shine, young players have it when they come to Detroit. The team has needed players in multiple roles and those players have stepped up. Players need only look at the wideout group for an example of what can happen when they work hard and assert themselves for the Lions upon being added to the roster.
Campbell explained what it means for a free agent to be signed by the Lions this point in time, and said it basically admits to great experience for the player to step up and shine.
“There’s always an opportunity. I mean, nobody’s played more free agents than us. That’s a blanket statement by the way, I don’t know that, but I would assume we have to be up there,” Campbell said. “So, anyone looking at our situation, you’d have to love to come in here. You’re getting an opportunity, either by injury or what we’re going through here (with illness). We get those guys up to speed as fast as possible and you may be thrust into a role immediately. Some of these guys are. So let’s get them up to speed and give them a chance to have success and then evaluate them off of that.”
Clearly, the team’s wideouts have been doing a great job at getting this done and setting the proper tone.
Lions’ Young Wideouts Stepping up Huge
What Campbell says lauding the young players and specifically the wideouts is spot on. In the last few weeks, they’ve begun to elevate their games in a big way down the stretch. The headliner with this is rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown. He caught the game-winning score in Week 13 but has been consistent in the second half overall. He’s also making a mark for rookies unlike previously seen in terms of receptions.
Through 13-career games, @Lions WR @amonra_stbrown‘s 57 receptions are the most in franchise history.
In Weeks 13-14, he became the first Lions rookie ever to record 7 receptions in back-to-back games.
In addition to St. Brown, the Lions have seen Kalif Raymond continue to be a force, and since signing off waivers, Josh Reynolds has become a major difference-maker for the team and a player who could be in the mix for a consistent role moving forward in Detroit. Add in the development of Trinity Benson and KhaDarel Hodge and the Lions do have some youngsters capable of making plays at the spot providing they continue to grow and develop.
Fortunately, that’s just what Campbell sees playing out as the team tries to finish the 2021 season in strong fashion. Don’t be surprised if the team’s wideouts continue to impress.
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Dan Campbell Praises Maligned Lions Position Group: ‘I’m Encouraged’