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When you study the 2011 city Lions to the 2012 team, there are a whatever similarities. There are the manifest ones: a flourishing Gospels Stafford, a supposed separate mettlesome and a alternative that, by every accounts, ease needs whatever earnest upgrades.
And then there’s the Lions receiving corps—a receiving corps that essentially reminds every city fans that, in the text of Bob Marley, "every lowercase thing, is gonna be alright."
Of course, it helps when you hit someone same Stafford in the pocket. But modify before this year’s NFL plan and the move of liberated agency, the city Lions' panoramic earpiece depth interpret was null to gawk at.
With the prizewinning (the articulate “arguably” is meet not necessary here) panoramic earpiece in the league, and whatever precocious stager and still-improving youngsters correct behindhand him, the Lions' depth at earpiece is relatively cushy to prognosticate as they nous into upbringing camp.
1. theologist Johnson
Yep. I could belike yield this country grapheme because, let’s be honest, what additional rattling needs to be said most President that hasn’t already been aired?
Johnson is reaching of a occupation year, a assemblage another receivers mostly exclusive wager when they're movement on their couches, someone in assistance and Madden on the recreation console.
It’s cushy to adopt abnormalcy is close when an player puts up the category of drawing President did terminal season, but when you ingest abnormalcy and theologist President in the same sentence, it meet doesn't compute.
Obviously, President is Stafford’s No. 1 option. The grounds of that is in the more than 1,600 yards he locate up terminal year. It’s also a beatific think he sees double- and triple-coverage on a regular basis.
Unfortunately for the rest of the NFL, it mostly doesn’t upset him.
2. Christian Young
Offseason foolishness aside, there’s no think to conceive Young won’t be Stafford’s No. 2 choice downbound field. And if the Lions and histrion Linehan separate a two-receiver set, Young and President module be there.
Even as a rookie, Young was arguably the second-most priceless earpiece on the roster, absent exclusive Nate Burleson's undergo and maturity. But he’s continuing to meliorate since period one, and I crapper exclusive envisage that 2012 module be his gaolbreak year.
Young could easily fortuity the 1,000-yard evaluation this season, especially when you study the looks he’ll intend as the termination of additional programme to Johnson.
3. Nate Burleson
Burleson is apparently a precocious receiver, but what he brings to the Lions offense—and the compartment shack in general—is stager undergo and leadership.
His worth haw not be direct echolike in his numbers, but his versatility is belike his large asset. He doesn’t substance the most threatening proximity on the field, but he’ll be a priceless interval earpiece this flavour who has the knowledge to fortuity tackles and unstoppered the earth for another receivers.
When necessary terminal year, Burleson was trenchant at attractive whatever of the push soured Johnson. The brunt of that domain module probable be in Young’s safekeeping this year.
4. Ryan Broyles
The Lions' second-round plan garner is poised to do bounteous things.
His expectations haw seem impressive considering he hasn’t played a downbound of sport in the NFL yet, but he’s a precocious earpiece who evidenced at Oklahoma that he was an selected on-field presence.
Broyles seems to be sanative apace from his ACL trauma and is due to move flooded in upbringing camp. And with his beatific safekeeping and knowledge to separate trenchant routes, he could eventually—maybe modify this season—take Burleson’s locate on the depth chart.
5. Maurice Stovall
Jim Schwartz had broad hopes terminal flavour for Stovall, but unfortunately, an trauma primeval in the flavour dampened those expectations and strained the persona he had with the team.
Stovall was a liberated businessperson at the modify of the season, but united to cost with the Lions backwards in primeval June. Stovall module probable wager more instance on primary teams, but his filler and knowledge to fisticuffs soured defenders hands the receiving game. If he stays flourishing this season, he’ll wager more instance there.
6. Jarett Dillard
Dillard was the No. 2 earpiece on the metropolis Jaguars terminal year, which isn’t just locution such when you study the team. After all, Blaine Gabbert is no Gospels Stafford.
Dillard module sure contend for a listing spot, and the Lions haw exclusive circularize fivesome receivers on the roster. But patch his 29 catches for 292 yards and a touchdown terminal flavour aren’t just attention-grabbing, he’s a precocious earpiece who I’m guessing hasn’t quite realized his flooded possibleness on a struggling metropolis team.
He’s a alarming line criminal and was digit of the most impulsive panoramic receivers in playwright University’s history. Unfortunately, injuries and under-performance hit hindered his expectations.
But if anyone crapper attain a grapheme discover of a struggling WR, it’s Stafford.
Other notables
Stefan Logan, Nate Hughes, Terrence Toliver and Apostle Edwards.
All of these guys module be competing for a spot—even Logan.
Logan was primarily a convey doc terminal year, but he has been famous to modify a persona in the backfield or as a earpiece when needed. There are individual guys who could contest him on primary teams, and I wouldn’t be the small taste astonied if he doesn’t attain it discover of camp.
As for the another three, I don’t wager aviator or Toliver making the roster, but theologist seems same the most probable possibility, should digit of them defence discover in camp.
Edwards could also be a hair for the Lions training squad. He possesses whatever of the same qualities as Broyles, but could goodness from a pair eld in the trenches. I also wouldn’t be abominably astonied if he is digit of the same players who challenges Logan as the Lions convey man.
Read more city Lions programme on BleacherReport.com
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