The Detroit Lions are hoping newly claimed wide receiver Josh Reynolds can give their passing game a boost Sunday in Cleveland.
The Lions claimed Reynolds off waivers from Tennessee last Wednesday. He wasn't up to speed enough to play Sunday in Pittsburgh with only two practice days under his belt, but Lions head coach Dan Campbell said this week Reynolds will be up Sunday and play against the Browns in Cleveland.
"Look, he's a long, linear guy. He has length, he's got speed and he's kind of a build to speed guy, but you see when he can get a step into his route, he's pretty good," Campbell said Wednesday of the 6-foot-3 Reynolds.
"And he's pretty fluid downfield, tracks the ball pretty well. So, I think he can help us in some of our 1-on-1 matchups, get a ball out there and let him go attack a corner 1-on-1. That's kind of how we'll try to use him a little bit as well. But, we also wanted to be smart. I mean, we don't want to throw him into the wolves either, but he's certainly going. We'll get him in and get him going."
Reynolds had just 10 catches for 90 yards in five games with the Titans this year in a reserve role before asking for and being granted his release. He caught 52 passes for 618 yards and a couple scores from quarterback Jared Goff in Los Angeles in 2020. ESPN reported the Rams also made a claim for Reynolds last week.
Reynolds might be catching passes from Tim Boyle in his Lions debut this week, however. Goff is dealing with a strained oblique, and he sat out practice again Thursday. His availability for Sunday is very much in doubt.
But if it is Boyle, the Lions are hoping Reynolds can provide a spark. If training camp and the preseason are any indication, Boyle isn't afraid to throw the football down the field. Reynolds' ability to go up and get a football with his size is certainly something the Lions will welcome in their offense.
"It makes a bigger target for the quarterback," offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn said Thursday of Reynolds. "He has strong hands. I thought coming out of college he was one of the better 50-50 guys. I kind of compared him to Mike Williams a little bit. Mike's maybe a little stronger, but I kind of see Josh that way. If the ball is in his area code, he's going to come down with it."
