The Detroit Lions drafted Eric Ebron to be the next Jimmy Graham and so far that has yet to happen. The tight end's rookie season could be summed up as a disappointment and now the Lions are hopeful he can really bounce back and find his professional groove. However, if that fails to take place, the Lions have little depth behind him to take care of the middle of the field. As a result, Detroit acquired Tim Wright to help push the competition into the season.
According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, the Lions have traded for Wright from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in order to stock up on depth at the tight end position with Joseph Fauria struggling with injuries. This is the second time Wright was traded in the preseason. The Buccaneers traded him to the Patriots where he helped the offense with 259 yards and six touchdowns. He then returned to Tampa Bay where he was promptly traded once again. Can Wright find a good home in Detroit?
Ebron has a right to be concerned. The tight end is not at risk of losing his roster spot, but his time on the field could potentially be cut if Wright looks as solid as he did with the Patriots. According to quarterback Matthew Stafford, Ebron is set for a breakout year in 2015, but it is clear the Lions want some insurance should that fail to happen.
"I think Eric's having a great camp, not just physically but his understanding of the offense has grown quite a bit," Stafford said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "He's important. Obviously, he's a tough matchup guy for teams, whether it be a safety or a linebacker. We feel we have an advantage there."
Ebron might not be losing his roster spot this season, but Ryan Broyles might be finding that his time in Detroit is running short. According to MLive.com, Broyles will be sent packing sooner rather than later. The highly touted receiver out of Oklahoma simply never recovered from his injury issues that took place his senior season. Instead, the Lions are likely to move forward with players like Corey Fuller who thrived as a rookie and Lance Moore who could be a solid veteran alongside Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate.
The biggest question for the Lions to answer is who gets the nod at the running back position. Both Ameer Abdullah and Joique Bell have had quiet preseasons. According to head coach Jim Caldwell, the two backs are going to split carries for the time being, but a starter will need to be named soon.