Down the stretch of last season, the Detroit Lions watched as wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown came into his own. The performance left folks downright excited to see what the wide receiver could do in 2022.
Even though that is the case, there has still been a bit of trepidation with St. Brown. Can he really be expected to have the same big impact this year? That’s been an issue the fanbase has been pondering in recent months.
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While a sophomore slump can be an NFL reality, the Lions hope that St. Brown already endured enough peaks and valleys in 2021. Speaking to the media before practice on Friday, July 29, Dan Campbell addressed where St. Brown is at now and seemed encouraged.
“I do see continued growth”
“Everybody grows at a different rate, right? I would say the jump he made, we were fortunate that it happened as soon as it happened. I think ultimately, that’s kind of what you’re looking for. Amon-Ra hit his jump by the end of the year. Usually that doesn’t always happen. Usually it does take year one to year two before you get that kind of jump,” Campbell said.
Campbell cautioned that the production may not be as extreme, but that doesn’t necessarily mean St. Brown is struggling, either.
“It may not be as big, but it’s already transpired toward the end of last year. I do see continued growth,” Campbell said. “Now, I can’t put that in production either as far as ‘hey man, he’s going to get 10 catches every game.’ I think the hope is that we got enough weapons and enough arsenal here that we’re able to spread this around and the production gets spread out even. It could be a game, it could be every game.”
The coach also name-dropped players such as T.J. Hockenson, DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds as others who could perform during games to boost the Detroit offense, yet perhaps also outshine St. Brown statistically.
Regardless, St. Brown continues to grow and develop, which will help him remain a big part of the offense moving forward. It’s good news ahead of a new year.
Campbell: Lions Offensive Depth Will Help St. Brown
While St. Brown had a wonderful rookie year with the Lions, can he be expected to turn in the feat again? It’s a complicated question, especially considering what Detroit added to their stable this offseason on offense.
Campbell seems to know that no matter when the team calls on St. Brown, they understand what they will be able to get given he is dependable, and that’s something he sees as a key variable to remember.
“He’ll be steady and consistent, and whenever you need him, you know you got him and he’s going to make the plays for you,” Campbell said. “We’ll see, but even if he didn’t have that kind of production again, if he doesn’t, I hope that’s because we got people around him that are helping.”
Last season, due to injury and a lack of weaponry, the Lions didn’t have many players to help out. This year, the opposite is true. That might mean a smaller statistical output at times for St. Brown, but a better year overall for the team.
St. Brown Still Could Become a Top Wideout
Many folks have wondered if St. Brown can be a true top wideout or if he is merely a player that is capable of some nice games, but isn’t anywhere near the level of a big threat.
The reason? St. Brown isn’t exactly a deep threat 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 production-wise.
Even though that’s the case, the Lions will still St. Brown lots of looks in the offense, which could give him plenty of chances to make plays for the team. He could continue to show what makes him elite on the field in a big way, which is what many see him doing this year in Detroit.
Campbell has seen nothing to indicate St. Brown will slow things down, other than perhaps some of his teammates helping him out.
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Dan Campbell Hypes ‘Continued Growth’ of Vital 2nd Year Player