Lions Need to Build Around Amon-Ra St. Brown By Adding No. 1 Receiver
You haven't had to watch much Detroit Lions football this season to realize that the franchise hasn't had a very successful 2021 campaign.
The wins and positive moments have been few and far between, and the team has been the definition of a "hard watch" during the course of the season.
The latest example of it was during the Lions' blowout loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17.
The Seahawks were a 10-loss team going into the matchup, with Seattle franchise passer Russell Wilson experiencing a career-worst season.
Yet, on Sunday vs. Detroit, the 33-year-old threw for 236 yards and four touchdowns, while helping Seattle manufacture a season-high 51 points. Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny also came through with a big-time performance, with 170 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
It was a long day for Aaron Glenn's defense, and it was hard to find a bright spot on either side of the football for Dan Campbell's team.
One Lions player did still manage to shine, though: Rookie wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown.
He finished with eight receptions for a career-best 111 yards and a touchdown in the Week 17 loss, proving that he can be productive with either Jared Goff or backup Tim Boyle, who started and threw three interceptions against Seattle, throwing him the ball. St. Brown also scored a touchdown off a delayed handoff early in the second quarter Sunday.
"Every time I’m doing something well, people are patting my back. I just think of those 16 (receivers) that went before me and how I felt. That just keeps me going,” St. Brown said, following Sunday's contest with the Seahawks. “I follow most of them. I know one (D’Wayne Eskridge) was on the other team.”
Being productive has become a common occurrence for the USC product.
In fact, over his last five games, he's amassed 43 receptions for 451 yards and four touchdowns (plus one rushing TD), good for an average of about nine catches (8.6) and 90 receiving yards a game.
Not too shabby for an individual who didn't get selected until pick No. 112 in the fourth round of the 2021 draft.
Joe Nicholson, USA TODAY Sports
"Yeah, I mean, he's been steady for us," Campbell said, when asked about St. Brown's productivity after the game. "He's a study, reliable player. You know, it's one thing to do it once, and you feel a little bit better after it happens twice. Now, when you start stacking them like he is, that's a consistent player. That's a productive, consistent player. Those guys, I think, are hard to find. So, I'm glad we got him. As long as he just keeps trending the way he is, he'll be just fine."
Additionally, with St. Brown's performance Sunday, he became the first rookie in NFL history with at least eight catches in five consecutive games.
Quite simply, the 22-year-old has been a steal for the Lions thus far, growing into the team's most reliable receiving option as the season has progressed.
And now, it's time to reward him by building around him.
I'm talking about Detroit general manager Brad Holmes going out and acquiring a big-play vertical threat to supplement what St. Brown does in the slot.
It would allow St. Brown to continue to attack and terrorize defenses over the middle of the field, while providing the Lions with a legitimate deep option that is more capable of handling the duties of a No. 1 NFL receiver than the standout rookie.
If Holmes goes the route of the draft to find that type of wideout, Alabama's Jameson Williams would be a great option, as suggested by Fox game analyst and former NFL cornerback Aqib Talib during the Week 17 broadcast.
Williams, standing in at 6-foot-2 and 189 pounds, has put up a monstrous season in 2021. He's logged 75 receptions for 1,507 yards and 15 touchdowns in 14 games, which includes his seven-catch, 62-yard performance in the Crimson Tide's victory over Cincinnati in the College Football Playoff semifinal round.
The electric deep threat, who's used his high-end speed to average north of 20 yards a reception throughout the season, could form a dynamic receiving duo with St. Brown for years to come in the Motor City.
And, if I'm Holmes, I'm dealing Detroit's second of two first-round picks in the 2022 draft (acquired from the L.A. Rams) and an additional pick to trade up and select the Alabama standout with a mid-first-round draft choice.
The above scenario is likely what it will take to land Williams, based on where he's presently being slotted to go in a variety of mock drafts.
Make it happen, Brad, and I promise you'll not only make your receivers room better, but you'll also make a lot of Lions fans happy.
© Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
