372.
That is how many receptions Golden Tate has racked up during his four seasons with the Detroit Lions. There is nobody better than gaining yards after the catch and he has been one of the most reliable receivers in the league since coming to the Motor City. But has Tate lost his job as the No. 2 receiver on the Lions?
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Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s make something clear. Golden Tate will still be a huge part of the Lions offense in 2018 and nobody would be too surprised if he pulls in 90 or more receptions for the fifth season in a row. He will likely be on the field for as many snaps as any other receiver on the team and will get a ton of targets, as always.
That being said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Kenny Golladay has been getting the reps as the No. 2 receiver.
“By my count, the Lions ran seven plays in the first half of Friday’s preseason game against the New York Giants with just two receivers on the field. On all seven occasions, the two receivers were Jones and Golladay.”
Birkett also noted that this could affect whether or not the Lions re-sign Tate as he would likely demand more money than a No. 3 receiver is worth.
“One other sidenote to the Lions’ wide receiver usage: I wonder what it means for Tate’s contract negotiations with the Lions. From the Lions’ standpoint, it doesn’t make much sense to pay a third receiver $10 million a year, or whatever the going rate is for a 30-year-old who annually ranks among the NFL’s receptions leaders.”
The Lions will be looking to run the ball more (and hopefully better) in 2018 but you can bet all three of Detroit’s big-3 receivers (Marvin Jones, Tate, and Golladay) will get plenty of targets.
