They Tried To Tear Apart Isaac TeSlaa – PROOF The Panic Is WRONG!

NFL preseason snaps have been stretched into a crisis for Isaac TeSlaa. My film study tells a different story that the toxic narratives can’t ignore

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Allen Park— Isaac TeSlaa has three targets, zero receptions and 44 offensive snaps through two preseason games. I would agree that his Cincinnati performance deserves criticism—but what those numbers do not prove is that Dan Campbell has lost confidence in his second-year receiver. Contrary to what toxic media narratives push, there is not a five-alarm fire burning in Allen Park.

SideLion Reports’ Max DeMara has questioned TeSlaa’s consistency, preseason usage, career production and whether he is satisfying Detroit’s coaches. PFF fantasy analyst Nathan Jahnke interpreted TeSlaa’s preseason workload as evidence the Lions may not fully trust him. Vito Chirco of Lions OnSI called his development alarming and portrayed his camp as almost devoid of growth.

Those are powerful conclusions about a player and the coaching staffs’ confidence. At the bare minimum, these statements should survive the facts, the film and the words of the coaches making the decisions, right?

They don’t.

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5 CLAIMS THAT DON’T HOLD UP | Max DeMara

DeMara wrote: “It’s tough to say much with certainty about Detroit’s wideout group, other than it is deep and one of the best in the league. Even though that is the case, there is a major question about what TeSlaa will provide.”

Those two thoughts work against each other. Are we questioning TeSlaa’s performance ability still, or the crowded nature of a deep positional group? Since he mentioned this room is one of the deepest collections of pass catchers. My question is just how much of a role should a 4th WR in 2025 realistically carve out? Looking forward to his second season with the same deep group—where is TeSlaa supposed to find major volume in 2026?

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TARGET SHARE

That is 417 targets to four established weapons—Teslaa received 27—What exactly was he supposed to do differently? Take targets from three All-Pro’s and a future All-Pro Jameson Williams?

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WHAT WAS TESLAA IN 2024? EFFICIENT!

There is one definitive about TeSlaa’s rookie year, he caught 16 passes on 27 targets for 239 yards, averaged 14.9 yards per catch, produced 14 first downs and scored six touchdowns. One of the most efficient seasons for a rookie receiver ever. Below are the analytics that show just how impressive his season really was.

• 87.5% 1st down per reception rate | 51.9% 1st down per target rate

• 22.2% TD to target rate | 37.5% TD to reception rate

How does that compare to the rest of the group?

The touchdown rate will not continue, but a rookie buried behind that collection of weapons still converted limited opportunities into scoring plays and chain-moving catches.

Let’s not forget that when Sam Laporta went out is when TeSlaa’s snap counts skyrocketed. According to PFF - TeSlaa had 177 snaps between weeks 1-10 (9 games), and racked up 329 more reps between weeks 11-18 (8 games) - for a total of 506 snaps.

During OTAs this June, Dan Campbell said, “I almost wish we could have gotten TeSlaa some more touches than he did get,” then said TeSlaa’s growth “took off,” he improved every week and Detroit had “a lot of trust” in him by season’s end.

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SKYLER GILL-HOWARD INTERVIEW

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TESLAA SHOULD BE ON THE BENCH ?

DeMara’s second claim was that TeSlaa “hasn’t been consistent enough to earn a spot on the bench with the starters in the preseason.”

Getting preseason work is not evidence of a demotion. TeSlaa played 506 offensive snaps as a rookie. St. Brown played 939 last season and Williams 992. TeSlaa’s entire NFL workload is roughly half of what either established starter played in last season.

A Year 2 receiver with that little experience should be playing—and the exact reason why Dan Campbell put TeSlaa in the game is simple. Getting reps against NFL level speed, working on his releases against press, leverage recognition, sight adjustments, route depth and quarterback timing all become repeatable through live reps.

Consistency is something a young receiver develops; it is not something he must already possess before coaches let him develop it.

Campbell directly contradicts the premise. In June he called TeSlaa “steady,” “consistent for a young guy,” said he was “exactly where we want him,” and added, “he feels like a veteran right now.” Detroit can trust TeSlaa and still believe 436 career snaps are not enough football.

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BOOM OR BUST - ALREADY ?

DeMara then wrote: “It is certainly interesting that he has been boom or bust so far in his career.”

Career? TeSlaa has 27 NFL targets and 506 professional snaps. If we force that sample into a boom-or-bust label, the production leans heavily toward boom: 16 catches, 239 yards, six touchdowns and 14 first downs. Over Detroit’s final six games, he caught 12 passes for 174 yards and four touchdowns—75% of his rookie receptions. That looks more like a role expanding as trust develops than a career bouncing between boom and bust.

There is also precedent for Jared Goff taking time to develop trust with a young receiver. Jameson Williams played 79 snaps as a rookie, receiving nine targets with one catch and one touchdown. His second season produced 42 targets, 24 receptions and two touchdowns across 12 games and 579 snaps.

Did DeMara write the same panic story about Jameson Williams in 2023?

By no means am I suggesting TeSlaa and Williams are the same player. Honestly, we still do not know what TeSlaa ultimately becomes. Should he progress at the same rate as Williams, what are we worried about? That is precisely why declaring him boom or bust after 27 career targets is premature.

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WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN WASHINGTON?

Then came the Washington box score.

DeMara wrote: “TeSlaa didn’t register a stat in the game, and wasn’t targeted in the passing game. As a result of that and a rough week 1, questions have begun to swirl about what will hold for his future this season.”

Zero targets require film before they become a receiver indictment. I reviewed TeSlaa’s Washington passing-game reps. Here is a snapshot of the 1st 10 plays with TeSlaa on the field. Dobbs never looked his way on multiple plays. One specific play, TeSlaa was open and Dobbs chose a throw into double coverage. At least two concepts used TeSlaa to clear space underneath for Jackson Meeks. Another sent him vertically to remove coverage. One rep had him bracketed. TeSlaa and Tyler Conklin also ran into each other on another concept, a legitimate execution mistake, but Conklin was targeted, not Teslaa.

The film did not show 27 snaps of TeSlaa failing to separate. It showed quarterback progression, route design, protection breakdowns and some receiver errors. Detroit allowed five sacks. Dobbs signed Aug. 10, three days before Cincinnati and 12 days before Washington.

Luke Altmyer is an undrafted rookie whose role expanded after Teddy Bridgewater retired. TeSlaa’s meaningful first-team timing has been built with Jared Goff. Expecting identical anticipation and chemistry from two backup quarterbacks behind reserve protection ignores how an NFL passing game works.

Cincinnati was different. The game opened in rainy, wet conditions, but TeSlaa still has to own the misses. Altmyer threw a pass into a congested window with a linebacker closing hard on TeSlaa—hospital-ball territory—ball deflected off TeSlaa’s hands. I am less concerned TeSlaa made a business decision versus the catch that could have ended badly. Later, another fourth-down throw was catchable, but also hit the ground.

Criticize the catches. Do not turn them into proof of a month-long collapse.

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NO IMPACT ON THE GAME

DeMara’s final claim is the biggest reach: “Right now, it’s safe to say TeSlaa isn’t impacting the game in the ways the Lions need with regularity to satisfy the coaching staff.”

After Cincinnati, Campbell did not threaten TeSlaa’s role. He described the fluctuations as a “pendulum swing,” told him to “stay the course” and said, “He’s going to be just fine.” If the claim is specifically about satisfying Detroit’s coaching staff, the coaching staff’s own words carry more weight than an inference from three preseason targets.

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USAGE = TRUST ? | Nathan Jahnke

Jahnke wrote: “Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams have been locked into Detroit’s top two wide receiver spots. Last season, TeSlaa competed with veteran Kalif Raymond for the third receiver role in 11 personnel. Raymond left for Chicago in free agency, seemingly opening the door for TeSlaa to take over those snaps.”

Raymond’s departure creates opportunity, but it did not create TeSlaa’s role. TeSlaa played 506 snaps as a rookie; Raymond played 358 offensive snaps. Detroit was already using TeSlaa more before Raymond left.

If Raymond is the measuring stick for how TeSlaa should be performing, let’s use it. Raymond finished with 24 receptions on 30 targets and one touchdown. TeSlaa had three fewer targets, eight fewer receptions and five more touchdowns.

Hmmmm...

Let’s go further. In 11 personnel, WR3 is not simply the receiver with the third-most catches. He must align across formations, handle motion, block well enough that defenses cannot identify run or pass from his presence, and execute routes designed to move coverage for somebody else. TeSlaa can take more WR3 snaps without suddenly becoming a 100-target receiver in an offense featuring St. Brown, Williams, Gibbs and LaPorta.

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SHOULD BE ON THE BENCH ?

Jahnke continued: “If the Lions fully trusted TeSlaa in that role, however, he likely would have rested with the starters in at least one of the first two preseason games. Detroit’s depth chart behind him remains unsettled, and ideally, those receivers would receive more playing time to help determine who makes the roster. Instead, TeSlaa played not only with the second-team offense that started the game but also alongside the third-team quarterback and offensive line. Greg Dortch and Cedrick Wilson Jr. appeared to be his closest competition last week, while Tay Martin was heavily involved this week.”

Jahnke’s piece is explicitly a fantasy-football usage analysis. That statement treats preseason participation as a binary trust test—Dan Campbell does not. Against Washington, Campbell mixed in starters including Tate Ratledge, D.J. Reed, Derrick Barnes, Rock Ya-Sin, DJ Wonnum and Tyleik Williams. By the way, since when was their a 3rd-team QB named in that game?Dobbs & Altmyer were alternating quarters. Dobbs started, Altmyer came in the second quarter, Dobbs the third and Altmyer the fourth.

Playing preseason football did not automatically mean a player was fighting for his job. TeSlaa also is not stealing evaluation reps from the receivers behind him either. Tay Martin played 61 offensive snaps through two games, compared with TeSlaa’s 44. Lucky Jackson had at least 55 snaps through both preseason games. The bottom of the room is getting work while TeSlaa continues building off his 506 career offensive snaps. Both can happen at the same time.

Usage can create a question—it cannot erase Campbell saying Detroit already had “a lot of trust” in him.

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No Growth - Really? | Vito Chirco OnSI

Chirco wrote: “However, thus far in training camp this summer, the Hudsonville, MI., native has shown very little signs of growth, and instead has looked the part of an in-over-his-head rookie.”

That conclusion is directly challenged by Scottie Montgomery, the coach responsible for Detroit’s receivers. Montgomery said, “The top of his breaks are so much cleaner. He’s so much stronger.”

Cleaner breaks mean less wasted movement at the top of the route and better timing when Goff reaches TeSlaa in the progression. Added strength helps him defeat contact at the release, maintain his stem and finish through defensive backs. Those are specific technical improvements.

The practice evidence exists too. In minicamp, TeSlaa separated on a post and Goff hit him in stride for a big gain. On Aug. 6, he went over Nick Whiteside for the catch of the one-on-one period. On Aug. 16, he climbed over Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Thomas Harper for a contested red-zone touchdown; Tim Twentyman wrote that the play showed why TeSlaa was Detroit’s No. 3 receiver.

On Aug. 27, the same day Chirco’s article was published, Goff found TeSlaa for 14 yards during the first-team offenses' 99-yard touchdown drive.

He has not had a perfect camp—TeSlaa has dropped passes, has been disrupted by press and still needs cleaner separation from rep to rep. But “very little signs of growth” ignores documented route improvement, strength development and productive first-team work.

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Chirco also wrote: “TeSlaa has been an alarming development from the former Arkansas receiver, who enters the 2026 season as the Lions’ No. 3 wideout.”

He followed it with: “He hasn’t come close to living up to the bill of such a receiver, and consequently, has been a major disappointment for Campbell’s squad so far this preseason.”

Calling the preseason results disappointing is defensible. Zero catches are zero catches. Calling TeSlaa’s overall development alarming is different. Campbell said he was exactly where Detroit wanted him and perhaps a little ahead. Montgomery identified cleaner route breaks and increased strength. TeSlaa remains in first-team work with Goff. After his worst preseason game, Campbell’s message was “stay the course” and “he’s going to be just fine.”

Those are not the words of a staff sounding alarm bells over WR3.

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MY INTERVIEW WITH SKYLER GILL-HOWARD

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ROCK’S READ

TeSlaa does not need protection from criticism. He needs to catch the football, beat press more consistently and turn flashes into dependable route execution. That is the next step for a second-year receiver with 506 career offensive snaps.

What I will not do is turn three preseason targets into proof Detroit does not trust him, zero Washington targets into proof he cannot separate, or 27 career targets into a boom-or-bust career.

The late-2025 surge in snaps and production shows his role was growing. The camp work shows both progress and mistakes. My Washington review showed why targets are a product of route concepts, quarterback decisions and protection—not simply whether a receiver “impacted the game.”

Criticize the first preseason game in Cincinnati if you want. Just stop manufacturing a WR3 crisis that Detroit’s own evidence does not support.

The evidence says Isaac TeSlaa is still developing into Detroit’s WR3; the panic is pretending Detroit has already decided he cannot be one.

Has TeSlaa’s preseason changed your opinion of WR3, or do you need to see him with Jared Goff in the regular-season offense first? Comment below, like the article and send it to a Lions fan.

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Will Rock Is An Independent Media Member And Founder Of Detroit Football Journal. After Cancer Changed His Life In 2023, He Decided It Was Time To Pursue His Dreams. A Lifelong Lions Fan And Loyal Lions Member For 29 Years, He Turned That Passion Into Independent NFL Coverage. Focusing On NFL Draft Analysis, Roster Construction, Player Evaluation, Scouting, Scheme And Film Analysis, Rock Earned NFL Media Credentials By The Start Of His Second Season Covering The League. Help Will Accomplish His Dream By Supporting This Publication.

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