The Detroit Lions have made some significant changes to their defense this year, improving their secondary and adding size to their defensive line.
An insider thinks the team might focus on their offense next and acquire wide receiver K.J. Osborn after he played for the Minnesota Vikings for four years. Russell Brown from Lions Wire at USA Today pointed out Osborn as one of the four remaining free agents that could catch the Lions' interest, saying he would fit well in Detroit.
Brown mentioned that K.J. Osborn could be interested in Detroit since he is from Ypsilanti, Michigan. He has 158 catches for 1,845 yards and 15 touchdowns over the last three seasons. He's also known for being reliable, with only 9 career drops (3.6% drop rate).
The Lions have to decide about their wide receiving group.
Brown suggested that the decision about Osborn in Detroit could depend on what the team does about wide receiver Josh Reynolds, who is also a free agent. While Reynolds became an important part of the Lions' offense in 2023, making 40 receptions for 608 yards with five touchdowns, Brown hinted that there might be space to keep Reynolds and add Osborn.
It will be interesting to see if the Lions bring back wide receiver Josh Reynolds. Even if they do, it would probably be a low-cost deal for one or two years. In that case, they would still need another receiver.
Osborn could also be a cost-effective addition,
Brown added, saying that his market value is projected to be $7.5 million (per Spotrac), making him a cheaper and safer option than a player like Mike Williams. He could complement Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta.
The Lions might face competition to sign Osborn, as several other teams are also potential landing spots, including the Buffalo Bills.
The Lions are also paying attention to their defense.
Most of the major changes in Detroit have been on defense. Lions general manager Brad Holmes continues to strengthen a defense that was one of the worst in the league a few years ago.
The Lions acquired cornerback Carlton Davis in a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and signed free-agent defensive tackle D.J. Reader, who said this week that he’s excited to get started in Detroit.
“That toughness, that aggressive play, if you’re a defensive lineman, you want to play in an environment like that,” Reader said, via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News. “Players are going to be highly motivated, play hard, their coaches are strong, (coach Dan Campbell’s) demanding, he’s not disrespectful. That’s great. You want those kinds of things. As a player, if you don’t want that kind of environment, then you don’t want to improve. I think being here, and feeling the energy here, it’s definitely a place where people want to come to get better, and that’s from top down.
