DETROIT -- At 1-6, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes knew he had to shake things up ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
So, he made an unpopular move to send Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson to their division rivals, the Minnesota Vikings, in exchange for a 2023 second-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round pick.
Lions coach Dan Campbell viewed the trade as “more food on the table" for the other skill players on offense. And those guys stepped up -- especially the tight ends.
The Lions would go with a committee approach at the tight end position instead of just one clear-cut starter, which resulted in the group ending the season with 12 combined touchdowns, tied for the second most among any NFL team, led by Brock Wright (four), Shane Zylstra (four), Hockenson (three) and James Mitchell (one).