Getty Jarvis Landry celebrates a catch in a 2022 game for Cleveland.
The Detroit Lions’ offense was rocked by the news that they had lost wideout Jameson Williams to a six game suspension thanks to a gambling offense.
With news that Williams will be missing for six games, many Lions fans are panicking, believing the team has to add someone to the mix in order to account for the loss of Williams, a player who was expected to be a breakout candidate right away in 2023.
There is a silver lining for the team, however, in the fact that the Lions now have time to plan around the situation with Williams. The NFL draft is coming, and the team still has money to spend on a veteran-laden free agent class.
Given the Lions played without Williams for a long stretch last season, they may not need to make a move to add anybody, and could get by with a group led by Amon-Ra St. Brown, Marvin Jones as well as Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond.
Still, there are some good options for the team to consider to answer their need for a bit of depth after losing Williams and Stanley Berryhill to suspension and cutting Quintez Cephus from the room.
Who are some of the best options the Lions can turn to now at wideout? Here’s a look.
Jarvis Landry, New Orleans Saints WR
In terms of a veteran on the market that could have a tie to the team and help pitch in, Jarvis Landry could make plenty of sense for Detroit.
Landry came into the league as a second-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2014 out of LSU. He then signed a lucrative free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns, who were under the management of John Dorsey. Dorsey works in the Lions front office now.
Landry has posted some solid years in the league, putting up a total of 7,870 yards and 38 touchdowns in addition to being a five-time Pro Bowler. Most recently, he put up 272 yards and just one touchdown in nine games played for the New Orleans Saints in 2022.
Being there is a connection with Dorsey, if the Lions needed another veteran wideout, Landry could be a good option at age 30 to give the team some snaps in the absence of Williams on the field for the first few months.
Byron Pringle, Chicago Bears WR
Should the Lions want a player who has a bit of divisional experience, Byron Pringle is a potential sneaky good free agency move the team would make.
Pringle came into the NFL undrafted out of Kansas State in 2018, and played with the Kansas City Chiefs where he helped the team win Super Bowl 54. In 2022, Pringle signed with the Chicago Bears, but got injured and didn’t play until late November.
Pringle has put up 1,024 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He also has 986 return yards. He could have speed and the ability to make big plays if he is healthy, and that could appeal to Detroit.
At 29, Pringle is also still in his prime and is still young enough to make an impact for the team for a few seasons if need be.
Quentin Johnston, TCU WR
Detroit might elect not to fool around at wideout, and simply grab an elite player on day one. Even with Williams in the mix, this could be part of a potential plan for the team.
In that scenario, TCU wideout Quentin Johnston makes plenty of sense, given he is one of the better prospects on the market in the draft, and could co-exist with Williams even when he was on the roster.
Coming into the 2022 season, In just two seasons of work, Johnson had put up 1,121 yards and eight touchdowns to his credit at wideout. He also had collected a pair of rushing touchdowns in his career, showing his overall ability to be an exciting piece for an offense.
Things only got better once the new season came around for Johnston. With TCU, he put up 1,069 yards and six touchdowns on 60 receptions. It was a career year when Johnston needed one the most.
The highlights do show a player who can make the big play as well as show himself as a fluid speedy runner and athlete. Here’s a look at what Johnson has done so far while on the field in the Big 12:
Johnston would certainly offer a rising Lions offense another player capable of hitting a home run, and could help the team become one of the more dangerous offenses in the league both with and temporarily without Williams.
Jayden Reed, Michigan State WR
If the Lions didn’t want to address the wideout situation on day one, day two figures to have a player available in the form of Jayden Reed, who went to MSU and has already connected with Detroit.
Reed, according to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, met with the Lions at the NFL combine amongst a few other teams. He could be a target of the team further down the board in the third-round.
In his career with the Spartans, he posted 2,069 yards and 18 touchdowns. Prior to that, he had a very solid 797, eight touchdown season at Western Michigan in 2018. He was also a weapon on punt returns in 2021, posting 238 yards and two scores that season.
Reed is a deep ball menace and can get down the field, which could mean he would be a perfect player to slot into the offense in the absence of Williams. It would be an intriguing day two move for the Lions.
Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee WR
Should the Lions miss on either of the two bigger-name players they were linked with in the draft process, another player like Jalin Hyatt could be a quality draft day addition a little further down the board.
Hyatt had a solid career with the Volunteers, and put up 1,769 yards and 19 touchdowns through the air in college. He’s a slick, speedy playmaker and could offer the team the kind of down field explosion that they could be lacking.
Hyatt is a potential day two pick, and could be a player that could become an intriguing addition for the Lions to boost the passing offense.
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