The Detroit Lions are hoping to finally get past that first-round hump in the playoffs and much of that will be determined by the success of the offense. Detroit's offense has seen its highs and lows, but confidence surrounds Matthew Stafford entering 2015 to get the job done. However, is that same confidence being displayed in the wide receiver group? Outside of Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, Detroit has some issues.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Detroit Lions have signed Lance Moore after his brief stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers left him back on the free agent market. Moore proved his worth during his time with the New Orleans Saints where he was the top deep threat for Drew Brees. However, he had a down 2014 with just 14 catches and two touchdowns. He was then released.
Signing with the Lions means Moore reunites with Joe Lombardi who was the offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach with the Saints during the receiver's tenure there. According to MLive.com, there is a lot of confidence that Moore can regain what he had in New Orleans by getting back into an offense he is familiar with. Team sources believe Moore is the intended third receiver outside of Johnson and Tate.
The Lions have depth issues at the position besides their two top players which is why they were forced to sign Moore. Players like Brandon Pettigrew, Ryan Broyles, Jeremy Ross and Corey Fuller have yet to really develop for Detroit. If Moore turns out to work well in the offense, one if not two of those receivers could be released. That has put added pressure on Johnson and Tate which has caused injuries and other offensive issues. While Moore immediately becomes the oldest player on the roster, he might turn out to be one of the better options.
The Lions are counting on a lot of players to step up in 2015. There is a lot of hope that Eric Ebron will be the next-best tight end in the league which will help Stafford out. After a lot of rookie hype, Ebron's first year in the league was a bit inconsistent. According to the Detroit Free Press, the tight end is looking stronger in offseason workouts. He will pair with Joique Bell and the newly drafted Ameer Abdullah to round out the offense. The Lions have a lot of pieces to work with now. It just remains to be seen who steps up.