Pros and Cons of Josh Reynolds’s Re-Signing with the Lions
Josh Reynolds: Should Lions General Manager Brad Holmes resign?
During the 2023 regular season, Josh Reynolds made a name for himself as one of the Lions’ premier receivers. However, he won’t be recognized for the successful campaign indicated before at this time.
Rather, his unsatisfactory performance in Detroit’s NFC Championship Game defeat to the 49ers will be his lasting legacy. During the game, Reynolds fumbled three passes, one of which was a ball from quarterback Jared Goff during a crucial third-quarter fourth-down conversion attempt.
The Lions lost a 17-point lead at halfway in the third quarter, and the collapse was the start of a string of bad luck for them. It was the Lions’ first NFC title game loss in thirty-two years, and they were never able to bounce back.
Reynolds may have played his final game wearing a Lions uniform that night. This offseason, he will become an unrestricted free agency, and there is no assurance that Motown would resign him for a fourth season.
There are several reasons to keep Reynolds back, even though his 2023 season didn’t go well (as long as the contract conditions are affordable for Detroit).
Since their time as teammates with the L.A. Rams, Goff and Reynolds have forged a close relationship.
Reynolds joined the NFL in 2017 (with the Rams), and the two have essentially been teammates ever since. The only five games that Reynolds did not play alongside the seasoned quarterback came in 2021, when the wide receiver was a member of the Tennessee Titans.
He was waived by the Titans following a dismal half-season in Tennessee, and Detroit finally acquired him.
Since then, Reynolds has developed into a crucial component of Goff’s and the Lions’ passing offense. Additionally, this past season showed that he was a very trustworthy target for Detroit’s franchise quarterback.
Reynolds and Goff combined for 40 completions, 608 yards, and five touchdowns. Only Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta of the Lions surpassed Reynolds in terms of receiving yards and touchdowns.
The former Rams wide receiver also accumulated almost a career-best 15.2 yards per reception. In 2019, he amassed 15.5 yards per grab while playing for Los Angeles.
He received a career-best PFF receiving rating of 69.3 in addition to a career-high Pro Football Focus overall grade of 69.7 for his performance in ’23.
The aforementioned statistics confirm that Reynolds is definitely worth resigning.
