The Lions' wide receivers room is vastly improved headed into the 2022 season.
Veteran DJ Chark and rookie Jameson Williams were acquired over the offseason, leading to heightened competition among the team's receivers.
And, it might just mean that a guy like Trinity Benson, who is entering his second season in Detroit, could be on the outside looking in going into training camp.
Benson, whom the Lions acquired via trade from the Denver Broncos on roster cut-down day last summer, had a rough debut season in the Motor City.
The Texas native played in just eight games (two starts), and amassed 10 receptions for 103 yards and zero touchdowns.
At the end of the season, Benson knew he needed to make adjustments in order to see more playing time in 2022, and went directly to Lions head coach Dan Campbell to talk about what he needed to improve upon.
“He came up after the season, and he’s like, ‘Coach, what do I got to do? What do I really need to do?’ We talked about it, and he took it seriously," Campbell expressed earlier this offseason. "He always put in the work. It’s a credit to him, and we are happy where he’s at.”
With the ability to be with Detroit for the entirety of OTAs and minicamp this year, Benson has also put in the time to soak up the playbook.
"Well, I definitely know I can play at this level," Benson said during minicamp. "It's just last year, I was really just out there thinking. So, the mind was just tying up the feet. So, now I'm learning the offense, I'm getting those reps that I really needed last year. I'm getting them this year. So, now, I'm just playing freely and just making the plays."
Now, entering the '22 campaign, he's on the roster bubble, and is fighting for the last receiver spot, likely with third-year pro Quintez Cephus.
Benson was impressive during Detroit's offseason training program, catching the ball well and showcasing his upper-echelon speed along the way.
Yet, it might not be enough for him to win a roster spot with the Lions this season.
Along with him having to compete with an aforementioned deep receivers group, he recently wasn't included in the group that recently trained with Lions starting signal-caller Jared Goff in California. Based on a photo shared by the team's official Twitter feed, tight end T.J. Hockenson, as well as receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds, joined the veteran passer for the workout session.
All the while, Benson has maintained the backing of Detroit receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, as well as confidence in his own abilities.
"It means a lot, coming from (Randle) El, coming from his background and the guys he's been around, coming from Tampa (Bay), being around Chris Godwin and Mike Evans," Benson said, in reference to having the support of Randle El. "So, for him to have my back and to know that I can play at this level, it's a confidence boost."
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