The Detroit Lions’ offense hasn’t begun the season as expected, especially given the talent on the offensive line, at wide receiver, running back, tight end, and with a veteran quarterback who recently signed a new contract extension.

Detroit’s red zone performance against the Buccaneers was underwhelming (1-for-7), and Jared Goff threw a costly interception in the fourth quarter when Tim Patrick continued his route instead of breaking in, leading to an easy turnover for the Buccaneers defense.

Josh Reynolds left for a better deal with the Denver Broncos in the offseason, creating a gap at the “X” receiver spot. Reynolds had developed strong chemistry with Goff during their time with the Rams.

In nearly three years with the Lions, Reynolds accumulated 97 catches for 1,393 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Training camp did not produce a clear replacement, so the front office signed Tim Patrick and Allen Robinson to the practice squad.

Patrick made his season debut in Week 2 as a practice squad call-up. The veteran wideout played 33 offensive snaps (39 percent) in Detroit’s 20-16 home loss, recording two passes for 12 yards on three targets.

Dan Campbell noted that Patrick had a positive performance and could see more involvement in the future.

“We liked him. It was good to see. I would say that was a positive showing to be able to get him out there and implement him in some of what we were doing,” said Campbell. “It’d be nice to get him a little bit more, but I think that’s what we’ll do moving forward.

“The idea is to see if we can open this up a little bit and use him a little bit more, but he’s big, he’s physical, his catch radius is pretty enormous. So, there’s a place for him here and yeah, I see us using him moving forward.”

Reynolds played a crucial role in extending drives and his connection with Goff was evident each week.

The talented receiver averaged over 10 yards per reception and was frequently targeted on third downs.

While Reynolds’ absence is felt, the upcoming weeks should see better execution and play-calling from the coaching staff.

Patrick, tight end Sam LaPorta, and running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs provide plenty of reliable options alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Though the adjustment period may be challenging, Campbell expects Goff to improve and adhere more to the offense’s structure. The 29-year-old is currently trying to do too much, leading to numerous incompletions and turnovers.

Life without Reynolds is taking some time to adapt, but Goff and the team need to find solutions quickly as Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals have shown a knack for finding the end zone early in the season.