Amon-Ra St. Brown Is on 'Mission' to Increase Yards After Catch

Amon-Ra St. Brown has the potential to be a special wide receiver for the Detroit Lions.

"For me going into year two, I just want to play more free, not think as much, and I think that just comes with repetition. That’s what we’re doing in training camp, getting reps," St. Brown told 97.1 The Ticket earlier this week. "One thing I’ve focused on is after the catch, going crazy, making guys miss, scoring, doing whatever it takes to get in that end zone every time I touch the ball."

Selected with the 112th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the fourth rounder has never forgotten he was the 17th receiver chosen last year.

His rookie campaign in Detroit, he recorded 90 receptions for 912 yards and five touchdowns.

"He's special, man. He really is. He he's on a mission right now," offensive coordinator Ben Johnson told reporters on Friday. "We talked in the spring a little bit about each coach giving each player areas of improvement. He is taking those to heart. And you can really see that translate on the field right now.

"I talked to him middle of the summer during our off time, just seeing how he's doing. He's like, 'Coach, I'm telling you right now -- this run after catch, I'm all over it. I'm all over it.' And I think you see that every single day on the field."

At training camp, his route running has been staggering in it's preciseness and his ability to get open and separate from defenders has drastically improved.

"Ball gets in his hands and he is consciously thinking to knife up the field and get what I can -- break tackles along the way," Johnson explained. "The aggression that he had, he has that controlled aggression, which for a receiver is rare. It shows up in the run game, it shows up in his route-running, his breaks, and it carries over for the rest of the group."