Which Wide Receivers Will Make Detroit Lions' Roster in 2021?
One of the key position battles to watch all throughout Detroit Lions' training camp will be which wide receivers emerge to earn a spot on the roster in 2021.
At this point, veterans Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman are locks to make the team, while rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown will quickly earn reps at the slot position.
That likely leaves two-three roster positions open for a plethora of wideouts over the course of the next few weeks.
Quintez Cephus is a likely candidate to make the team, as the second-year wideout will be looking to prove himself, with a new coaching staff conducting the evaluations.
The 23-year-old wideout has untapped potential, but is not an absolute lock. He could easily find himself on the bubble, if one or two other wideouts emerge in camp.
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Many have forgotten about veteran Geronimo Allison, who sat out last season due to the global pandemic. He is an intriguing option who brings plenty of experience to the table.
Recall, the Lions signed Chad Hansen this offseason. He fits what the offense is currently looking for: size and speed.
Plus, he has familiarity with new Lions signal-caller Jared Goff, as the two played college football together in 2015 at California.
Hansen recorded 19 receptions for 249 yards and one touchdown while working with Goff. After Goff entered the NFL, Hansen had a stellar 2016 season, as he recorded 92 catches for 1,249 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Victor Bolden impressed many throughout offseason workouts, and even caught the attention of new Detroit head coach Dan Campbell.
At 5-foot-8 and 178 pounds, Bolden is not among the tallest receivers, but he possesses speed and one of the most important traits for a wideout: the ability to separate.
"This guy can separate," Campbell said during minicamp. "He can run. He can change direction."
Undrafted rookie free agents Sage Surratt and Javon McKinley are on the outside looking in, but will have the next few weeks to showcase why they should be in the conversation to make the roster. Unfortunately for McKinley, he is starting out 2021 on the active/non-football injury (NFI) list.
The toughest decisions the coaching staff will have to make are what to do with Damion Ratley and Kalif Raymond.
John Dorsey drafted Ratley when he was the general manager of the Cleveland Browns, so it is likely that Ratley will have a strong opportunity to win over the offensive coaching staff.
Raymond has an opportunity to take over for the departed Jamal Agnew as the team's return man.
The Titans signed Raymond to the practice squad during Week 17 of the 2018 season to add speed to the receiving corps, as well as to make an impact on the return game.
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Detroit offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn & Co. will have challenging decisions to make when it comes time to select who will play at wideout this season.
Here are the six wideouts who are the current leaders to make the roster coming out of training camp.
- 1.) Tyrell Williams
- 2.) Breshad Perriman
- 3.) Amon-Ra St. Brown
- 4.) Quintez Cephus
- 5.) Chad Hansen
- 6.) Victor Bolden
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