Steve Smith Sr. leaves Lions' receiver duo outside top five

Detroit missed the playoffs before Petzing arrived.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 261 min read

Do Amon-Ra St. Brown & Jameson Williams REALLY belong in the Top 5 conversation? Steve Smith Sr. & James Palme Via @JamesPalmerTV on X

What happened: James Palmer assessed how Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams fit in Drew Petzing's first season as offensive coordinator. St. Brown's YAC production and 10 drops in 2025 formed the case for treating the miscues as an anomaly.

Why it matters: The ranking carries no roster consequence, but it raises the performance bar for Detroit's most established receiving pair. Petzing's arrival also puts target distribution and route usage under fresh scrutiny.

By the numbers: St. Brown finished 2025 with 117 catches, 1,401 yards, 11 touchdowns and 570 yards after the catch. Williams set career highs with 65 receptions and 1,117 yards while matching his

What to watch: Watch how Petzing deploys both receivers in training camp and whether St. Brown's catch consistency rebounds before Week 1.

Sources

@JamesPalmerTV 2026-07-26T23:12:03.962508+00:00

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