For nine years, wide receiver Calvin Johnson was the Lions’ best receiver, and arguably became the best receiver in the league. In 2012, he broke Jerry Rice’s longstanding record with 1,964 yards receiving in one year — over 350 yards ahead of the league’s No. 2 receiver that year.
But Johnson decided to retire at the age of 30 this past offseason, which meant Detroit had to somehow replace his production. It’s not easy to duplicate what one gets from a 6-foot-5, 240-pound wideout. That the Lions have still been able to do well offensively starts with their talented quarterback.