ALLEN PARK – And quite simply, the Detroit Lions have improved their prospects at the wide receiver position, particularly on the outside, with the reported signing of veteran pass catcher Tim Patrick.

Patrick has battled major injuries over the past two seasons, including a torn ACL in training camp and a torn Achilles the following year. But when he was on the field? Patrick was a very productive wideout and one who happened to fill a lot of specific needs in those areas. From the outside looking in, it’s easy to imagine/speculate Dan Campbell calling his longtime mentor (and current Denver Broncos head coach) Sean Payton to get a full look at Patrick’s game and health before or immediately after this move.

The Lions parted ways with their top candidates for that receiver spot in Donovan Peoples-Jones, Daurice Fountain and Kaden Davis before the league’s deadline. Reports out of Denver earlier in the week suggested the Broncos were shopping or releasing Patrick due to overcrowding in their space, and that’s exactly what happened Tuesday afternoon. It’s worth noting that Josh Reynolds, who held that position with the Lions last season, signed with the Broncos and helped get Patrick traded in Denver.

Patrick, the 6-foot-4, 30-year-old wideout, hasn’t played in the regular season since 2021, when he caught 53 passes for 734 yards and five touchdowns. He also started 15 times in 2020 and caught 51 passes for 742 yards and six touchdowns. It should be noted that Denver’s starting quarterback situation in 2020 was rookie Drew Lock and then a combination of Teddy Bridgewater and Lock the next season.

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The Lions opened their 52-man roster (not a typo) with just four wide receivers. They have Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond as their top options, while undrafted rookie Isaiah Williams played his way onto the main roster. Patrick or a receiver built and playing like him was needed for this offense as he didn’t have enough size and those positions were significantly overstaffed down deep. St. Brown is a killer from anywhere on the field, but he does most of his damage from the slot.

Raymond excels out of the slot and as a tricky gadget player for this offense, not to mention he’s a former All-Pro punt returner. Isaiah Williams also specializes in the slot and is a bit too small and inexperienced to make an immediate impact as an outside receiver. While Jameson Williams is destined for a more significant role and a bigger piece of the pie, he’s not your typical WR2 or outside hitter.

And while everyone can sit at home and read height and weight, a little length and muscle mass on the bench can’t hurt. Reynolds thrived in that role, showing he has more than enough production to play as a reliable red zone threat who can catch a pass from Jared Goff high.

“No, I don’t think so. I mean, we’re always going to be able to — with what we have on this roster, (offensive coordinator) Ben (Johnson) does a heck of a job of making sure we put guys in a position to be successful and that our guys can win and do whatever it takes for them to do that,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said when asked if the lack of size on the outside limits the offense. “So, no, I wouldn’t say it limits us, but like any offense or defense, man, you want, ‘Give us everything.’ If you can have everything, then you can use everything. But no, it’s not going to limit what we do.

“It would be a luxury to have, it helps, and I think a lot of it is — it comes down to those one-on-one situations where you say, ‘OK, you’re not — you don’t always have to be in those cut splits. Man, you can just go out there, and it’s one-on-one, and if you like the matchup, who cares if he’s under pressure? Our guy is going to beat your guy.’ And Goff is going to be put in a position where he can play rebounds, he can make big guys play in the box and down on the block and will make a play for you.”