The Detroit Lions’ offense, once one of the league’s most reliable units, has suddenly become shaky—and injuries are at the heart of the problem. The offensive line is banged up, tight ends are disappearing from the lineup, and now the receiving corps is taking hits as well. Detroit’s 31–24 Thanksgiving loss to the Green Bay Packers came with another blow: Amon-Ra St. Brown left the game with an ankle injury that could sideline him for an unknown stretch.

Those offensive struggles were a major reason Detroit couldn’t mount a real comeback. The NFC North crown appears out of reach now, but the Lions remain very much alive in the playoff chase. To stay in that hunt, however, they’ll need new contributors to step in while St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and others are unavailable.

That’s where Isaac TeSlaa continues to show he belongs.

Detroit Must Finally Give Isaac TeSlaa the Larger Role He’s Earned

TeSlaa finished Thanksgiving with just two receptions for 35 yards, but the impact of those catches was far greater than the box score shows. One was a red-zone touchdown grab; the other, a full-extension dive that moved the sticks. Each play served as another reminder of what the big-bodied rookie can offer when he’s actually on the field.

Frankly, there’s no reason he should be sitting at only six catches for 100 yards at this stage of the season. Whenever he’s been given meaningful snaps, he’s delivered. Detroit invested a third-round pick in him, yet has barely tapped into his skill set.

His latest performance only strengthened the argument that the Lions must stop limiting him and start finding out what they truly have.

Despite all that, TeSlaa remains humble. He’s not clamoring for more targets or complaining about usage—just doing what’s asked of him. His comments after the loss showed his team-first mindset.

“It’s tough when you lose anyone, especially someone like Amon-Ra,” TeSlaa said. “It was a chance for me to step in, but the only thing I really wanted was a win. That’s where my focus is.”

He added, “Making a catch is nice, but it doesn’t mean much when you come up short on the scoreboard. Especially in a divisional game with the stakes where they are, the margin for error is tiny.”

With Injuries Mounting, the Lions Have No Choice Left

TeSlaa may be polite about his role, but fans and analysts no longer need to be. The Lions are running out of healthy pass catchers, and hiding TeSlaa on the depth chart is no longer an option. He needs to be featured—immediately.

At this point in a rookie season, a young player isn’t really a rookie anymore. In 2021, Detroit unleashed St. Brown around this time, and he blossomed into a cornerstone piece. TeSlaa deserves that same opportunity.

He clearly has the physical tools and the mentality to grow into a high-level NFL receiver. But the Lions can only discover that if they trust him with the ball. Thanksgiving showed once again that he’s ready for the moment.

Detroit needs playmakers—and Isaac TeSlaa has shown he can be one.