The connection between a quarterback and wide receiver is one of the more storied partnerships in all of sports, and for good reason. So many details go into the artistry that occurs between the two positions on gameday. And if you are looking for proof, just ask one of the best duos in NFL—Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
“When you watch Goff and St. Brown on the field, you can see they’re finishing each other’s sentences — if every sentence was punctuated with a first down,” wrote Henry McKenna of Fox Sports in his recent feature on the pair. “It’s not normal. They can make changes mid-play without even having to look at each other. It goes beyond coaching.”
If you have been watching the Lions for the last several years, then chances are you know exactly what McKenna is talking about.
“I think we’ve been playing for so long together that he understands my body language when I’m running routes,” St. Brown told McKenna. “That he can anticipate throws before I’m even out of the break. He kind of knows, ‘Oh, that’s how it looks when he’s about to break down.’ So he already knows. He can anticipate the throw.”
The article dives into what makes the relationship between the two pros so special, including frequent visits to St. Brown’s favorite sushi restaurant near their Los Angeles area offseason homes. You can read the entire article from McKenna right here.
And now onto the rest of the best Lions content from this week.
If you didn’t already see, Chris Long and The Greenlight Podcast were in Allen Park recently, and they got some excellent interviews in with St. Brown, Goff, and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
After a long, strange journey, the NFL’s Pro Bowl is finally gone.
Kory Woods of MLive was on the ground to cover the annual, “Jamo Day,” which is an event put on by Lions receiver Jameson Williams and his foundation that helps get families ready to go back to school.
In case you missed it, Tina Nguyen of WXYZ Detroit interviewed Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.
If you are someone like me who is always thinking of what shoes to rock on Lions’ gamedays, you may be interested to know that two Lions’ themed shoes are dropping ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Last but not least, we have two posts from The Feed. The first is from Critical Perspective where the author dives into some possible roster gymnastics we may see from the Lions after their final preseason game against the Colts on Saturday. And the second is by tomi02118 that examines the Lions’ decisions around the backup quarterback position behind starter Jared Goff.
The 2026 Craig Reynolds Memorial Roster Shenanigans Candidates
Knowing POD there's probably an article coming on this topic, but basically every year the Lions will cut a veteran player temporarily in order to keep someone under control who needs to go on IR (or would otherwise be subject to waivers while other moves take place).
You may recall that the league changed the rule to allow two "free" IR-designated-to-return placements that don't affect your 53-man roster at cut-downs, but the Lions may have more players they elect to put on IR than those two spots. (Currently they have Mays for sure, plus probably Rolder, then also Pacheco, LaPorta, Niese, and Bartch as players wrestling with injuries of unknown severity. Some of those guys like LaPorta and Pacheco probably just stay on the active 53 but others like Bartch and Niese may require them to be sidelined whom they may want to keep in the mix as possible options for later in the season. Cut with an injury settlement is also a possibility, as we saw last year with Hassanein.)
Anyway, the "roster shenanigans" candidates need to have 4+ accrued seasons, are not currently injured, and, ideally, are (a) on a 1 year deal with little-to-no guaranteed money in their contract and (b) close to the veteran minimum, although this very last point is not actually crucial as long as their contract isn't guaranteed. (And finally, obviously also are the kinds of people who aren't offended by the "embarrassment" of being cut though we can't really speculate about someone's internal make-up!)
All that to say ... here are some "surprise" cut candidates (if not a roster lock, then at minimum seen to be on the roster bubble) who may end up cut with a side deal to be immediately re-signed:
Chuck Clark (just $50k guaranteed, 9 year vet, on a 1 year deal)
Damone Clark ($75k guaranteed, 4 year vet, on a 1 year deal)
Levi Onwuzurike (no guarantees, 5 year vet, expiring contract)
Chris Smith (no guarantees, 5 year vet, on a 1 year contract)
Devin White (no guarantees, 7 year vet, on a 1 year contract)
Tyler Conklin (no guarantees, 8 year vet, on a 1 year contract)
Something to keep in mind if you are predicting your 53-man and want to try to be precise knowing the Lions may use roster shenanigans to stick an extra guy on IR by making a "shocking" cut of one of these players.
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Dobbs vs. Altmyer: Floor Over Ceiling for Detroit’s QB2 Spot
The Lions’ backup-quarterback competition remains unresolved heading into the final preseason week, but the choice is becoming clearer.
Josh Dobbs, the 31-year-old veteran signed after Teddy Bridgewater’s retirement, offers Detroit the more reliable short-term insurance policy. Through two preseason games, however, his numbers have been ordinary: 11-of-20 for 106 yards, with an interception and a fumble. The counterweight is obvious—a spectacular 50-yard touchdown run that demonstrated the dual-threat ability he brings. His 10 years of NFL experience, plus familiarity with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, give him something Altmyer simply cannot match.
Luke Altmyer, the undrafted 23-year-old out of Illinois, has been the better passer this preseason: 22-of-35 for 216 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He has shown accuracy, field vision and playmaking ability, while also looking surprisingly comfortable running Detroit's offense. But the sacks, turnovers and complete lack of regular-season experience make him a developmental proposition rather than a finished product.
And that's ultimately what makes this a roster-management decision rather than a pure quarterback evaluation.
The Lions are built around Jared Goff and expect their QB2 to play very few meaningful snaps. If Goff misses a game or two, experience, system familiarity and the ability to survive an ugly Sunday probably matter more than Altmyer's greater developmental upside.
If the question were who might eventually become the better quarterback, I'd take Altmyer.
If the question is who should Detroit trust as Goff's immediate insurance policy, I'm taking Dobbs.
Altmyer is the more intriguing asset. Dobbs is the safer one.
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