There was a time, not so long ago, that Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew was a potent offensive weapon.
In 2010 and 2011, Pettigrew was a favorite target of quarterback Matthew Stafford’s. He finished both seasons second to Calvin Johnson in catches and receiving yards. He totaled 154 catches and 1,499 yards in those two years.
Pettigrew was never Tony Gonzalez or Rob Gronkowski, but he was a complete tight end with a significant role on offense. That changed in 2014 when the Lions drafted Eric Ebron. Pettigrew became almost exclusively a blocking tight end.
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This year, Pettigrew might get a chance to ditch the blocking a bit and get involved in the passing game more after new general manager Bob Quin made efforts to upgrade the offensive line.