Finding Replacements For Calvin Johnson No Easy Task
By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby
Things that are not easy: climbing Mt. Everest, eating only one Oreo and replacing Calvin Johnson on your football team.
Thankfully, only one of those appears to be on the to-do list for the Lions, should Johnson make his retirement official. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday Johnson had already told head coach Jim Caldwell he was done, and several Lions teammates appeared to be saying goodbye to him on social media.
So how does Detroit go about replacing one of the best to ever play the position?
Grabbing a veteran free agent would normally be the first choice. But the free agent receiver market isn't exactly stocked this year. Alshon Jeffery (Chicago) and Anquan Boldin (San Francisco) are two of the biggest names in this year's unrestricted free agent pool.
With Johnson's retirement, the Lions would have about $11 million in freed cap space, so they could conceivably sign one of those two. Jeffery carried a cap hit last year of about $1.5 million, and Boldin's 2015 hit was nearly $7 million (although that's expected to be significantly lower in 2016).
Other unrestricted free agent receivers include the Bengals' Marvin Jones, the Steelers' Darrius Heyward-Bey and the Chargers' Malcom Floyd.
The Lions' own free agent receiver – Lance Moore – has professed his desire to stay in Detroit, and will likely be re-signed.
If the Lions can't sign another veteran free agent, they'll have to look to fill the need in the NFL draft. Detroit's biggest roster need will most likely still be offensive line depth, but if Johnson is officially gone, wide receiver will instantly become a top target.
The highest the Lions could choose would be 16th, their top pick in the first round.
Some of the top wide receivers in this year's draft are Mississippi's Laquon Treadwell (with some projecting him to go top 10, which would make his availability a moot point for the Lions), TCU's Josh Doctson, Ohio State's Michael Thomas and Braxton Miller, Baylor's Corey Coleman and Notre Dame's Will Fuller.
Last year, Johnson caught 88 passes for 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns. It was his sixth straight 1,000-yard season, and seventh overall in his nine-year career. Even outside the numbers he recorded, the most difficult part of replacing Johnson will be the impact he has on opposing defenses. Even in his ninth season – and dealing with ailing ankle injuries nearly all season – opponents still double-teamed Johnson frequently. Containing the 6-5, 240-pound receiver keeps most teams' hands full, leaving his teammates more open to make their own plays.
With that enormous cog gone in the Lions offense next year, it won't be an easy process to move on, especially in a weak free agent market.
