There’s a long way to go before we hit the thick of the season, and even longer before we see which rookies actually carve out roles in a loaded Detroit Lions offense. But if there’s one early standout worth keeping an eye on, it’s the guy who already seems to be everywhere at once during the offseason program.
Isaac TeSlaa wasn’t supposed to make this much noise this early. Not in a receiver room that includes Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and a healthy-again Tim Patrick. Not with all the other storylines crowding headlines — from Jahmyr Gibbs’ encore to the lingering curiosity around the new offensive coordinator, John Morton. But every time the offense takes the field at OTAs or minicamp, there’s one name that keeps turning heads.
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For all the discussion around this receiver room’s depth, the rookie from Arkansas is starting to look like a real factor in the short term, not just a long-term project the staff can mold in the background.
Lions WR room could get crowded real quick (and that's a good thing)
It’s not just the size or athletic testing numbers anymore. The 6-foot-4 third-round pick has shown up with polish, poise, and a whole lot of consistency.
He’s already flashed in contested catch situations, impressed with his work on special teams, and even caught a tough sideline ball against Duke Shelley that had the building buzzing. That’s the kind of play that gets noticed (and remembered) when coaches start figuring out who’s going to make the most of their reps in camp.
TeSlaa might still be buried on paper, but paper doesn’t catch passes. And if the flashes we’ve seen so far carry over into August, Patrick could suddenly be looking over his shoulder. The 31-year-old is a useful veteran and a valuable blocker, but he’s also on a one-year deal and coming off back-to-back lost seasons.
If the Lions can get a younger, cheaper version of that same role with more vertical juice, there’s a clear decision to be made.
That’s where TeSlaa fits. He’s already showing the kind of physicality and focus that match the Lions’ offensive identity. He blocks like a tight end, has no issue going over the middle, and brings a vertical threat that adds another layer to what Goff has to work with. At minimum, he’ll be active on special teams from the jump. But the way things are trending, he’s starting to look like someone who might force the staff to rethink their early depth chart projections altogether.
The Lions traded up to draft him because he checked the boxes they value. The more he shows, the harder it’ll be to keep him off the field.
