This season, the Detroit Lions noticed many veteran gamers who had been with the crew for a number of years stroll out the door in free company. It was clear gamers like Alex Anzalone and Graham Glasgow weren’t like to return again, however for a participant like punt returner/wideout Kalif Raymond, it wasn’t as positive.
It seems the Lions did make an effort to convey again Raymond, however he opted to pick the Chicago Bears’ one-year, $3.5 million supply as a substitute.
In an amazing profile of Raymond by The Athletic Dan Pompei, he revealed that Raymond had a number of suitors in free company, together with the Seahawks and 49ers. In the end, Raymond was deciding between the Lions and Bears, who had “commensurate” presents on the desk. It was removed from a straightforward resolution for Raymond, who holds a variety of love for the Lions group and his teammates. He even consulted with Amon-Ra St. Brown earlier than making a call.
“Belief your intestine,” St. Brown informed him, by way of Pompei. “Both method, I really like you, man.”
Nevertheless, it seems the deciding issue with Raymond was alternative. After drafting St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Isaac TeSlaa in a matter of 5 years, Raymond was a distant fourth on Detroit’s depth chart. Whereas the Bears have a younger, burgeoning receiver group that wanted a savvy veteran. And with Raymond reuniting together with his former offensive coordinator in Bears coach Ben Johnson, he is aware of he’ll be in a spot the place he’ll be correctly utilized.
“The lure to Chicago was alternative,” Pompei wrote. “The post-Johnson Lions veered to greater huge receivers and had lowered Raymond’s offensive position. Johnson, nevertheless, remembers the huge receiver who was focused 71 instances in 2021 and 64 instances in 2022.”
The Lions have been in a position to pivot fairly nicely, nevertheless. Detroit ended up signing former Cardinals receiver Greg Dortch to a one-year, $1.4 million deal. Dortch brings each returner means and a familiarity with new Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
