Josh Reynolds is easy to overlook in the Lions’ receiving corps, but head coach Dan Campbell is certainly very bullish about him right now.
When the Tennessee Titans waived him in the middle of last season, Josh Reynolds was an ideal fit for the Detroit Lions. They needed something (anything) at wide receiver, and he had history with Jared Goff from their time together with the Rams.
In seven games for the Lions last year, Reynolds averaged 16.1 yards per catch (19 catches for 306 yards) with two touchdowns. Not coincidentally, Goff’s best play of the season came after Reynolds came aboard.
After the signing of DJ Chark, the drafting of Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown’s emergence down the stretch last year, the Lions’ re-signing Reynolds didn’t get much attention. But he could still be a key piece of the equation this season.
Lions: Dan Campbell sure is bullish about Josh Reynolds
During his press conference on Saturday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell was in fine form–spewing out nicknames, etc. He had three nickames for Reynolds in the span of about 20 words.
He’s a different athlete, he’s slippery, man. I call him the ‘praying mantis,’ he’s a spider of death,” Campbell said of Reynolds. “He’s just – there’s something about him, so – freaking serpent.
Campbell also had more, shall we say traditional, praise for Reynolds.
I was pleased with what he was able to do and how he was able to help us towards the end of last year,” Campbell said of Reynolds. “But he came into this spring and caught my eye again and I felt like he even took a step forward from there.
“I like this guy, I’m kind of buying stock on him, I think he could have a big year. He’s a smooth athlete and he’s a grinder, he’s smart and Jared trusts him. And so, I can’t say enough about that room in general and he’s a big piece of that.”
Williams may start the season on the PUP list as he continues to work his way back from a torn ACL. So Reynolds would be in line to join Chark as the Lions’ primary outside receivers early in the season, while St. Brown primarily mans the slot.
With a full offseason to learn the offense while maintaining his rapport with Goff, Reynolds could be a sneaky difference maker for the Lions this year.