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Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

How Kalif Raymond, Amik Robertson Make Each Other Better

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By John Maakaron | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 9:33 AM ET

When you are around the Detroit Lions, you will invariably hear the phrase "Iron sharpens Iron" when talking to coaches or the players.

Two unsung heroes on the roster embody exactly what the coaching staff and front office envisioned when they set out to change the look and play of the roster.

Wide receiver Kalif Raymond and cornerback Amik Robertson are not household names across the league, but their work ethic and commitment to growth and excellence has been noticed, on and off the field.

In speaking to both this week after practice, the level of mutual respect is off the charts, with both crediting the other for the level of competitiveness and for how the work in practice has resulted in improvements.

“He’s (Raymond) been in the league a long time, he’s very slept on," said Robertson. "He’s one of the shiftiest guys I’ve ever went against. I told him he’s sharpened my knife. He kind of reminds me of a quicker Hunter Renfrow. Very crafty, good at creating space, so it kind of helps me go into my tool box, helps me be a different type of guy to help me switch it up.

"You can’t go against him every day and show the same thing, because he’s gonna adjust to it. So I told him, man, he definitely sharpened my knife as far as covering him throughout training camp. In my mind, I think he’s one of the shiftiest, smartest guys on the team as well.”

Heading into his second season in Motown, Robertson has sensed the game has slowed down for him overall and he is excited about what he can accomplish this season. He is entering the final year of a two-year contract signed back in 2024.

“Very confident, man. Go out there, continue working on my keys and just be myself within the scheme," said Robertson. "Most importantly what I want to do, I just want to take the next step and overly communicate out there. Most importantly, just making sure that my job is done well and done great. Making sure the guys around me, they’re able to be themselves and they’re able to play fast as well.”

For Raymond, battling Robertson in many one-on-one period's hit home just how physically gifted, talented and motivated the Lions' defense has been all throughout training camp.

“I was like, 'Man, these guys are coming with it.’ I talked to Amik because we ended up going one-on-one a lot. I’m like, 'Dude, when he lines up, I’ve got to bring it, because if I’m not on, he’s for sure on. It’s just one of those things where we looked at each other one time and Amik said, ‘You are gonna get me better.’ And I was like, ‘You have gotten me better.’ It was just one of those experiences, man, where you’ve got a bunch of guys that care, bunch of guys that know what they’re doing, but are also physically gifted. It all adds up in the end.”

Battling Detroit's defense daily at camp forced the 31-year-old to bring the "extra juice" on a daily basis, otherwise he experienced challenges getting open.

“This has been the toughest camp from a receiver perspective as far as those guys, man. Obviously their physical capabilities, but even mentally man, they were just on a different level," said Raymond. "They were on it. At one point I was like, 'Man, I’ve got to come with some extra juice just in order to get open because it was really, really tough'. So, it was really iron sharpens iron, because those guys were balling out there.”

During training camp, Dan Campbell shared how he envisioned best utilizing Raymond's skill set.

"He’s got a little gadgetry, he’s got some quickness underneath, and he’s a returner. To maximize both, boy you’d love 20 plays a game, 25 plays a game," Campbell said. "So, we’d rather not play him 65 plays a game, but we will if we have to.

"So yeah, he’s receiver three right now, and that’s fine. But, that’s why it would be nice to have somebody step up (as the true X) because that just helps the room. And I think it makes everybody a little more potent, that’s all. And yes, we trust Leaf. Very much.”

This article first appeared on Detroit Lions on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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