NFL free agency rumor: Detroit Lions had interest in WR Tyler Boyd

The Detroit Lions have not brought in any new faces in the wide receiver room this offseason, but it appears they at least had “preliminary interest” in one of the top targets who is still out there.

According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, the Lions were one of a handful of teams that looked into adding former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd.

“Boyd has at least had preliminary interest from the Chiefs, Chargers, Dolphins, Lions and 49ers,” Kaboly wrote this week.

Boyd was also being pursued by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but per Kaboly, that ship seems to have sailed after the two couldn’t agree on contract terms.

The 6-foot-2 Boyd is coming off eight years with the Bengals where he had at least 600 yards in all but one season. He’s crossed over 1,000 yards twice (2018, 2019), all while playing at least 70% of snaps in each of the Bengals’ last six seasons. Boyd fit in the Bengals’ “big slot” role, but he also has plenty of reps on the outside.

The Lions have at least a moderate need at the wide receiver position after they failed to re-sign veteran receiver Josh Reynolds. Lions general manager Brad Holmes admitted during last week’s owners meetings that Reynolds was part of the team’s Plan A at receiver this free agency and was still hopeful they could bring him back. Unfortunately for Holmes, Reynolds inked a two-year, $9 million contract with the Denver Broncos.

That said, the Lions have a handful of capable starters in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Donovan People-Jones, and Kalif Raymond.

Could Boyd—a former second-round pick—be the Lions’ Plan B? Or will Boyd’s price tag be too much for the Lions, considering the Steelers couldn’t agree on a deal with him?

Stay tuned, and be on top of all the latest Lions free agency rumors here.