5 Receivers Lions Could Target in Free Agency

The Detroit Lions have all the makings of a top-tier core at the wide receiver position.

Amon-Ra St. Brown has been a revelation in his first two seasons, most recently surpassing 100 catches and 1,000 yards in his second campaign. Lions general manager Brad Holmes took a big swing by drafting Jameson Williams No. 12 overall in 2022.

Both look to be key pieces in the team’s future. However, there is still uncertainty to be resolved at wide receiver. In particular, DJ Chark’s contract has expired, and he will be a free agent this offseason.

As the Lions look to remain explosive on the offensive side of the ball, they may look to make an addition at the position this offseason. Here are five receivers Detroit could look to add through free agency, heading into the 2023 season.

Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers

A player whom the Lions are plenty familiar with, Lazard has likely played his last game with the rival Packers.

Following the season, he hinted at his possible departure when asked about his future. After all, his contract expired, and he’ll be hitting the open market.

Lazard, 27, is coming off a career-best season, in which he hauled in 60 passes for 788 yards and six touchdowns. Undrafted out of Iowa State, he’s carved out a solid start to his professional tenure.

At 6-foot-5, he’d be an ideal replacement for Chark, should he elect to depart the Lions. Lazard can be a vertical threat and stretch the field, something Chark did well this past season with Detroit.

Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs

Injuries plagued Hardman’s availability during Kansas City’s Super Bowl run. He was placed on injured reserve prior to the Super Bowl.

He did play in the AFC Championship Game, but re-aggravated the hip injury that had forced him to spend time on IR in the regular season. When healthy, though, he can be a dynamic receiver who can take the top off defenses.

The injuries caused his production to be limited, as he finished with just 297 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the year. However, the player who once ran a 4.33 40-yard dash is still there, when his health is intact.

Kansas City has plenty of weapons, such as JuJu Smith-Schuster and Super Bowl star Kadarius Toney, meaning Hardman is expendable. The injuries may drive his price lower, as well, which could make him even more attainable for Detroit.

Zach Pascal, Philadelphia Eagles

Pascal is another player who will likely fall victim to the talent already on his team’s roster, with Philadelphia boasting a talented receiving group led by A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.

This plethora of talent limited Pascal's contributions in 2022. He caught just 15 passes in the regular season, despite playing in all 17 games. Prior to this past year, he was a productive member of the Indianapolis Colts.

The veteran wideout has amassed 2,038 receiving yards during his career, notching 16 touchdowns. He had a solid 2020 campaign with the Colts, and could return to a good level of production with more opportunities.

Noah Brown, Dallas Cowboys

Brown is entering free agency after a career year in 2022, during which he doubled previous career-high marks in both receptions (43) and receiving yards (555). Some of this production came when backup Cooper Rush was the quarterback, as the two had chemistry from their time together running Dallas’ second team.

Brown has always been a bit of an untapped prospect. He was a seventh-round pick out of Ohio State, after experiencing just one season of consistent playing time. This season, though, he got an opportunity to show what he can do when the ball comes his way.

While not a burner, Brown has superior concentration that allows him to make difficult, contested catches. He excelled in high-point situations, as evidenced by his touchdown catches against Philadelphia and Cincinnati.

His production is still largely unproven at age 27, which could drive his price in free agency down. He could be a perfect buy-low candidate for the Lions.

Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots

Unlike several players on this list, Meyers is indeed a proven talent who has been the Patriots’ top target for the last two seasons. He’s surpassed 700 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons.

Meyers is a statistical outlier in some capacity. He went each of his first two seasons without a receiving touchdown, before finally reaching the end zone in 2021. That’s a bit of a moot point, though, as he has still managed to be wildly productive.

Even with New England’s quarterback struggles in 2022, Meyers managed to top 800 receiving yards. His targets and receptions were down from 2021, but his totals still came close to his numbers from the previous year.

He did this in a year where the Patriots’ offense was very dysfunctional under offensive coordinator and ex-Lions head man Matt Patricia.

His production will make him expensive. But, if Chark elects to leave, then the Lions could allocate the necessary funds to make an attempt at landing Meyers.

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