The Detroit Lions look to have one of the best rosters in the NFL heading into the 2024 season. They have done a great job of locking up key contributors, agreeing to long-term contract extensions with quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and offensive tackle Penei Sewell.
All three are core players for the turnaround in the Motor City the last few seasons. Under general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions have gone from one of the worst teams in the NFL to legitimate contenders in the NFC.
Last season, the team announced their presence by advancing to the NFC Championship Game. They lost to the San Francisco 49ers, blowing a double-digit second half lead they will be looking to avenge this season.
While Detroit has a great roster, there are always areas of a team that at least improve incrementally. For them, ESPN writer Bill Barnwell believes it could be wide receiver. St. Brown is a star, but there isn’t much established, reliable talent behind him.
Josh Reynolds, who had two productive seasons for the Lions, departed in free agency and no replacement has been signed. That is part of the reason that Barnwell has pitched the Lions making a trade with the Houston Texans for veteran Robert Woods.
“The Texans wouldn’t get much more than salary relief and a swap of Day 3 picks, but if former Rams executive Brad Holmes — who’s now Detroit’s GM — could persuade Woods to take a pay cut down to the $1.5 million range, a trade here could benefit both parties,” Barnwell wrote.
Woods may not be a starting-caliber wide receiver in the NFL any more, but he can still be a productive player. Adding another wide receiver to the mix makes a lot of sense as the inconsistent Jameson Williams and Donovan Peoples-Jones are the top players on the depth chart behind St. Brown.