If there's one position where the Detroit Lions aren't totally set at ahead of the 2024 campaign, it's at wide receiver, where the team lost Josh Reynolds in free agency and didn't really replace him.
Detroit is hoping that third-year wideout Jameson Williams can take that next step and be a solid No. 2 behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, but that is far from a guarantee following a lackluster start to his career.
If Williams doesn't answer the bell for whatever reason, the Lions could look to make a trade deadline deal to add to the position, and that's exactly what Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon predicts the team will do.
In an article listing four bold predictions for the 2024 campaign, Gagnon believes Detroit will trade for either Cleveland Browns wideout, Amari Cooper, or Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Tee Higgins.
Here is Gagnon's write-up on the prediction:
The Lions are gearing up. A team that has never been to the Super Bowl can clearly smell it, and another strong offseason of shoring up and bolstering weak spots indicates they're all-in.
But the NFC North should be quite competitive and the 49ers remain the betting favorite to come out of that conference.
With that in mind, I'd watch for the NFC's leader in cap space to make one more splash ahead of the deadline.
Potential targets include Amari Cooper if the Browns aren't competitive and Tee Higgins if the Bengals fall off again. Both walk-year veteran receivers could be game-changers in Detroit.
Cooper and Higgins would provide an upgrade for the Lions' receiving corps., no matter what happens with Williams, but a breakout campaign from the Alabama product would make such a trade less necessary.
Both players have produced multiple 1,000-yard seasons during their respective careers, something only one Lions wideout on the roster has done (St. Brown).
The problem with trading for either player is that both are in a contract year, which means the Lions could end up giving up valuable draft capital for a short-term rental, although nobody will care if the Lions win a Super Bowl.
Another issue is that both the Bengals and Browns figure to be in contention by the time the trade deadline rolls around, making it less likely either is dealt. However, if the opportunity presents itself, the Lions should jump during a year in which they should be all-in on winning a Super Bowl
