Buccaneers can find slot receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft Instead of breaking the bank to bring slot receiver Adam Humphries back, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should look towards a well-known prospect. Something that made Hurd an intriguing player to get in the draft was his production as a slot receiver. Jalen Hurd had the sixth most slot yards of any receiver in the 2019 draft class. After dropping to No. 14 after their loss to the Seattle Seahawks, they fell another slot to No. 15 in Mark Schofield's new rankings. This was a gut-punch loss for the Arizona Cardinals.
Now that the offseason is in full bloom, it is time to speculate what the Detroit Lions will do to fix the holes on their roster. In this installment of draft them or sign them, let’s examine how general manager Bob Quinn will most likely be looking to shore up the receiving corps by adding a slot receiver.
This is the fourth in a series of articles examining whether the Lions should fill needed positions through the draft or free agency. If you missed any of the previous reviews, check out: tight end, cornerback and running back.
The Lions currently have Marvin Jones, Kenny Golladay, Brandon Powell, Chris Lacy, Andy Jones, Deontez Alexander and Brandon Reilly on their active roster, while receivers Bruce Ellington and T.J. Jones are currently set to become free agents.
Golladay arguably became the number one receiver in 2018, after the Lions traded Golden Tate and lost Marvin Jones to a knee injury, hauling in 37-percent of the teams receiving yards. Marvin Jones thrived in contested catches, but coming off an injury, his effectiveness could be in doubt. The issue that plagued both of them was the inability to gain any separation, and NextGenStats ranked Golladay at 95 and Marvin at 117 in their ability to separate from defenders.
Slot Receiver Nfl Draft 2019 Draft Picks
After impressing Lions brass in the preseason, Powell earned a spot on the roster, but the majority of the time he was inactive, only standing out at the season finale against the Green Bay Packers. Andy Jones played in eight games recording eleven catches and standing out on special teams, while Lacy was only active for one game and hasn’t caught a pass yet.
Adam Humphries could not have picked a better time to hit free agency, enjoying a breakout season; recording career highs in receptions (76), yards (816), and touchdowns (5); and this was with an unstable quarterback situation in Tampa Bay. He was able to show his ability to get open, make clutch catches, and rack up yards after the catch by going 15-20 on third and fourth down situations and 49 of his 76 receptions going for first downs. His Spotrac market value is four years, $41.7 million, but with his age (25), skill set, and productivity, he could be worth the price to round out the Lions receiving corps.
Golden Tate has shown to one of the best creating yards after the catch earning the nickname ‘The YAC King” during his Detroit tenure. The Lions traded him midseason to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third round pick, but it was a tale of two seasons for Tate. Seven games with the Lions, he had 517 yards and three touchdowns, but eight games with the Eagles he was underused, recording only 278 yards and one touchdown. Spotrac has his market value at three years, $30.6 million, which may be too expensive, but reuniting with the Lions and his old offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell may be enticing for the 30-year-old receiver.
Cole Beasley has been a fan favorite in Dallas ever since he was brought in as an undrafted free agent. Because of his strong ability to separate allowing him to accumulate yards after the catch; he was heavily targeted with the Cowboys amassing 323 targets through four years. This year he had 65 catches and 672 yards, both good for second on the team. K.D. Drummond of Cowboys Wire estimated Beasley’s contract around three years, $22.44 million, he would be the cheaper option and bring a veteran presence to Detroit.
A.J. Brown was considered the top wide receiver in the class at the start of the season, but fellow teammates D.K. Metcalf and DaMarkus Lodge took over the spotlight. Even though he fell through the ranks at Ole Miss, he has everything you are looking for in a slot receiver, separation, yards after catch, efficient route running, contested catch ability, strong hands and is a big red-zone target. Even though he plays physical, he needs work on his blocking and he’s not the fastest receiver in the group, but these setbacks shouldn’t play a factor in his draft stock, which is sitting around Day 2, and should put him in play as a Big Slot option for Detroit.
Andy Isabella put himself on the radar after an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl. The “undersized” Massachusetts senior receiver led all college football with yards (1,698), second in receptions (102), and sixth in touchdowns (13). The intangibles he portrays — explosion, footwork, separation, and elite vertical speed — make him a perfect candidate to fill the slot position. Some concerns have come out about his body catching because of his small hands, which could be a red flag to some teams. Because he didn’t play in a Power 5 conference, he will probably be a Day 2 pick, but for all intents and purposes, Isabella should thrive at slot receiver with the Lions.
Mecole Hardman was highly underutilized as a receiver while he was at Georgia because of the number of weapons in Georgia’s arsenal and was only targeted 55 times, catching 34 passes, 532 yards, and seven touchdowns. He has the speed to not only get the yards after the catch in the slot but he can stretch the field in deep ball situations. Along, with his field vision and elusiveness, he was one of the best returners in the country, averaging 20.1-yards on punt return yards and 25.2-yards kickoff yard. He is a multi-faceted versatile weapon who should be a better NFL receiver than a college one, which the Lions should have no problem finding a role for him as a Day 2/3 prospect.
Slot Receiver Nfl Draft 2019 Ny Giants
The free agent class offers intriguing options and surely Lions fan would love to have Tate back, but this draft class is deep at receiver and offers a ton of versatility; giving the Lions plenty of options.
Tate would be welcomed back in Detroit with open arms but Detroit will probably get outbid for his services as he will end up costing too much. Humphries is a younger receiver who enjoyed a breakout season, but like Tate, his services will be coveted and probably out of Detroit’s spending range. Beasley is a reliable veteran receiver, but the way the market is shaping up and his age, the Lions might not what to spend a lot for him.
Isabella might have some issues with body catches but he fits the prototypical slot receiver mold. Brown might have fallen from grace in college, but he has all the traits the Lions want in their slot receivers. Hardman doesn’t have eye-popping numbers, but his versatility as a receiver and returner is something the Lions love in their players.
Nfl Draft
Marvin Jones and Golladay counted towards over 60-percent of the team’s total receiving yards. The Lions need to find someone to complement these deep ball receivers, which is why they will be looking heavily at the slot receiver spot.
Daniel Jones
With the way the NFL is heading, slot receiver is a coveted offensive position, and teams will be paying heavily for these players. With how deep this receiver class is, the Lions will be able to find a starter in any round this draft and not have to overpay for a free agent. Don’t be surprised if the Lions go heavy on offense in the draft and even double dip in the receiver pool.