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Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions have worked out a deal with a player from the 2024 squad to keep him in 2025.
The Detroit Lions could be looking to add some youth and versatility to their wide receiver room this offseason.
Benjamin Raven of MLive.com reported that the team has planned a pre-draft visit with Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa, who has gotten some interest as an athletic prospect who caught 62 passes for 896 yards with five touchdowns over the last two seasons.
“TeSlaa scored a 9.93 on the Relative Athletic Score, with his 6-foot-3, 214-pound build and 4.43-second 40-yard dash and 39.5-inch vertical raising eyebrows,” Raven wrote.
Isaac TeSlaa Could Round Out Detroit’s Receiving Corps
Raven noted that the Lions don’t have a lot of size and vertical ability in their wide receiver room, something that TeSlaa could bring. Lions head coach Dan Campbell said last week that the team would be adding more competition for the current set of wide receivers, with TeSlaa as a potential addition in the NFL draft.
“We would love to bring in more competition, particularly some youth,” Campbell said. “That would help and let them all mix it up. Get in there and see where it all falls.”
NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein noted that TeSlaa boosted his draft profile with a strong performance during Senior Bowl week, showing off his ability to attack opposing defenses from the slot.
“He can mismatch smaller cornerbacks with his frame and play strength and is a reliable pass catcher when contested,” Zierlein wrote. “He builds up speed as a vertical slot but isn’t sudden enough to simply uncover as a possession slot against tight man. TeSlaa’s ball skills and ability to work down the field from the slot should carry backup value for teams in the market for help at receiver.”
Lions Addressing Other Needs
Raven reported that the Lions had a series of other NFL draft prospects, including some who can help fill holes in the secondary. The team has planned meetings with Penn State safety Jaylen Reed and Virginia safety Jonas Sanker, potential replacements for the Lions after Ifeatu Melifonwu signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency.
“Sanker is an experienced, 6-foot-1 defensive back who played 139 snaps in the slot, 358 in the box and 282 back deep at safety last season,” Raven wrote. “He forced six incompletions and was strong against the run, checking some vital boxes around these parts.”
NFL.com’s Zierlein wrote that Sanker is an “energetic safety with good production” but added that some areas of his game need improvement.
“The three-year starter possesses good size and strength with a willingness to play downhill that led to a high tackle count,” Zierlein wrote. “Sanker is long and rangy but gets himself in trouble with inconsistent pursuit angles. He’s adept at matching up against big slot receivers in man and plays with quick, instinctive eyes and a good burst to close in zone. He gets caught staring into the backfield at times, so his team will need to work on his eye discipline and focus.”
Zierlein added that Sanker would likely be a special teams player as well, which could boost his value to the Lions.
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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The Lions likely will exercise their fifth-year option on Williams this spring, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. The Lions have until May 1 to exercise an option that would guarantee Williams a salary around $15.49 million for 2026. That's well below market rate for a quality No. 2 receiver -- something Williams became in 2024 with a 58-1,001-7 line on 91 targets in 15 regular-season games. While unlikely to average more than 6-to-7 targets per game in an offense loaded with other talented playmakers, Williams should have a similar role this upcoming season under new play caller John Morton, who previously worked for the Lions in 2022 and then served as Denver's pass-game coordinator the past two years. Lions GM Brad Holmes said he'll likely pick up Williams' fifth-year option, but Holmes didn't mention a contract extension the way he did when discussing fellow 2022 first-round pick Aidan Hutchinson.
