The good news for the Detroit Lions is that they’ve just acquired a free agent who was a starter last season and the No. 2 wide receiver on his team last season. The bad news is it’s a receiver who came from a Jacksonville Jaguars passing attack that was so weak that the No. 2 wide receiver finished the season with 29 catches for 292 yards and one touchdown.
Those were the 2011 stats in Jacksonville for Jarett Dillard, who has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Lions, according to the team’s website.
A 2009 fifth-round pick out of Rice, Dillard caught just six passes as a rookie before a broken ankle ended his season, and he missed all of 2010 with a foot injury. In 2011 he became the Jaguars’ second option at wide receiver, although that said more about the Jaguars’ options at wide receiver than it said about Dillard. He was released in May after the Jaguars drafted Justin Blackmon.
The Lions, who also signed veteran receiver Maurice Stovall last week, have been trying to improve their depth at the receiver position even though Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson and Titus Young all return from last year’s passing attack. Dillard will probably have to show he can be a good contributor on special teams if he’s going to make the roster.