The Detroit Lions have amassed an offense full of weapons, and could have another game-breaking wide receiver in their sights this offseason.
Christian Booher of SI.com identified wide receivers the Lions could target in each round of the NFL draft, starting with one of the fastest pass-catchers in this year’s class. He started with Texas receiver Matthew Golden, a first-round selection who could add dangerous speed to their offense.
Lions Make Big Move on Offense
Booher predicted the Lions could land Golden at the No. 28 overall pick, though he noted that the Texas receiver has rising stock after a strong performance at the NFL combine.
“He is incredibly fast, as evidenced by his 4.29 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. Additionally, he has exceptional footwork and can run any route within the route tree and has solid hands,” Booher wrote.
Those skills could be an asset to the Lions and quarterback Jared Goff, who already has a Pro Bowl target in Amon-Ra St. Brown and two strong running backs in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Booher added that Golden had plenty of production in college, making 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns in his final season with the Longhorns.
“With some return ability also at his disposal, Golden could contribute at the NFL level in a number of ways,” Booher wrote. “If the Lions are looking to add another burner to their crop of wideouts, Golden is one of the best options available.”
The Lions head into the NFL draft with few obvious holes in their roster, the product of careful team-building from general manager Brad Holmes over the last three seasons. While other insiders predict the Lions could use their first-round pick to add a pass rusher to line up opposite Aidan Hutchinson, their relatively complete roster could give them the latitude to look at a player like Golden in the first round.
Lions Face Big Decision on Another Speedster
The Lions already have one wide receiver with stellar speed, former first-round pick Jameson Williams, but face a looming decision on his future in Detroit. As Mark Inabinett of Al.com noted, Williams is headed into the final season of his rookie contract and will need a commitment from Detroit to stay behind the 2025 season.
“Williams has one season remaining on his four-year, $17.462 million rookie contract. To keep Williams beyond the 2025 season, Detroit has three options available – a new contract before the current one ends, the franchise tag next offseason or its fifth-year option,” Inabinett wrote.
Though Williams has shown flashes of strong play and added a speed element to Detroit’s offense, he has also encountered a series of off-the-field issues during his time in Detroit. That includes separate suspensions for gambling and violating the league’s rules against performance-enhancing drugs.
If the Lions choose to draft Golden, they could have the opportunity to evaluate the Texas receiver over his rookie season and determine whether he can take over Williams’ role in the offense or if they would seek to bring Williams back on a new contract.
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