As he works his way back from an injury and rejoins a roster spot battle, could the Lions showcase Quintez Cephus for a trade?
The Detroit Lions got some good news Monday, as wide receiver Quintez Cephus returned to practice after missing close to two weeks and the first preseason game with a left leg injury.
Cephus got off to a promising start last season, with 15 receptions for 204 yards and two touchdowns, before a collarbone injury sidelined him for the season in Week 5.
The Lions deeper wide receiver room has pushed Cephus down the pecking order. He’s battling for a roster spot, and his missed practice time recently wasn’t necessarily helpful. He has otherwise had a strong run through the offseason and into training camp.
The idea of the Lions trading for a backup quarterback isn’t fresh, and even trading Cephus for one isn’t a stretch.
Lions rumors: Quintez Cephus on the trade block?
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report has named one player each NFL team should put on the trade block this preseason. For the Lions, he went with Cephus.
Quintez Cephus didn’t get a chance to impress last year after a shoulder injury limited him to five games.
Cephus will have his work cut out attempting to carve out a role on this up-and-coming offense. The team added two strong wideouts this offseason, picking up a reliable veteran in D.J. Chark in free agency and drafting potential superstar in Jameson Williams at No. 12 overall.
Those talents, coupled with breakout rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown gearing up for year two, could leave little in the way of targets for Cephus.
Cephus is still just 24 years old and has some promising upside that Detroit could dangle as trade bait. The 2020 fifth-rounder has displayed strong hands, athleticism and work ethic in his limited professional snaps and could flourish with a team that has less competition at the wideout spot.
Cephus is back healthy just in time for the Lions’ joint practices against the Colts on Wednesday and Thursday, and the second preseason game against Indianapolis on Saturday.
Cephus is probably not being shopped by Lions general manager Brad Holmes. But it’s not out of the question to think teams in need of receiver depth have been calling, and now want to make sure he is healthy before doing a deal.
The second preseason game may not have the Lions’ key players playing a whole lot longer than they did in the opener. But Cephus is certainly going to be someone interesting to watch against the Colts, and he could be showcased for a trade.