Getty Amon-Ra St. Brown makes a catch against the Eagles in 2021.
Amon-Ra St. Brown burst on the scene in a big way during the 2021 season, and the hope for the Detroit Lions is that he can continue to develop.
While many folks are waiting and seeing what happens, others aren’t waiting to call their shot, and believe that St. Brown might have only scratched the surface of his greatness this past season and is trending toward more in the near future.
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Recently, Pro Football Focus analyst Owain McFarland admitted that he thinks St. Brown is a candidate to break out into a WR1, which is to say the top wideout on a team. McFarland’s prediction was shown by Woodward Sports in a tweet:
The Lions could use St. Brown becoming a true top dog at wideout, and the team’s approach this offseason in free agency and the draft could support the notion that the team is hoping this outcome for St. Brown. The Lions added DJ Chark and Jameson Williams, a pair of talented pass catchers that come with a bit of light injury baggage.
If St. Brown turns into a star, that could be a good start for the Lions and moving their future in the right direction.
St. Brown Likes Lions’ 2022 Offense
Whatever happens, St. Brown isn’t sweating it himself. Looking ahead to next season, St. Brown should have the chance to play a starring role right away for the Lions unlike in 2021 when he was learning the ropes. As a whole, he believes the offense has taken some major steps forward and has some fantastic weaponry, something he told the media when speaking with them on May 11, 2022.
“I was thinking about that the other day, St. Brown said. “We really have a pretty good offense going from the line, we have a solid offensive line, we have great tight ends that can catch the ball, that can block. Our running backs are all very solid, they can all do different things. Added some receivers. I mean, I think we’re a complete offense now if you ask me, so I’m excited to see what we can do.”
In terms of his own fit within the offense and his own potential to put up stats in 2022, St. Brown isn’t worried about whether he has a repeat performance or not on the field so long as the team is winning games.
“For me, it’s just whenever I get that opportunity, just make the most of it whether that’s 5 targets a game, whether that’s 2, whether that’s 12. Each game is different, each scenario is different,” he explained. “Obviously, the goal of football is to win games and win a Super Bowl. If we’re winning games I’m happy. I’m not complaining. So, it’s just going out there doing my part and whenever I do get that opportunity, that chance to help the team win, make the most that I can.”
Selfless and confident, it’s easy to see that St. Brown believes he can reprise his role on a much better offense. If he doesn’t, that’s alright as long as the team is seeing more wins pile up. Still, folks are predicting that he will be able to duplicate the feat.
St. Brown Could Answer Critics With Top Wideout Breakout
Many folks have wondered if St. Brown can be a true top wideout or if he is merely a player that is capable of doing some nice things, but isn’t anywhere near the level of a top threat. The reason? St. Brown isn’t exactly the biggest deep threat on the roster and is not a vertical player. He operates mostly in the slot and is much better underneath, which may not allow him to put up the kind of stats that help him to look like a true top wide receiver.
Even though that’s the case, the Lions could still give a lot of looks toward St. Brown for the future, which could give him plenty of chances to make major plays for the team. He could continue to show what makes him an elite option on the field in a big way, which is what many see him doing this year in Detroit. Some even think he will trend toward being a top wideout in 2022.
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Analyst Selects Lions Wideout as ‘Candidate’ for Top WR1 Emergence