Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa enters Year 2 with more athleticism, strength: 'It's not even close'
Isaac TeSlaa authored flashes during his rookie season but was mostly quiet. Detroit is counting on the second-year wideout making more noise in 2026.
Wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery said he's seen a stronger, more athletic TeSlaa this offseason.
"He's done a good job of going and getting the football since he's been here and then now at the top of his breaks, they're so much cleaner," Montgomery said, via MLive’s Jacob Richman. "He's so much stronger.
"What I like to do is I like to watch where we were, especially from an athleticism standpoint, to where he is now. It's not even close."
A third-round pick, TeSlaa put up 16 catches for 239 yards and six touchdowns last season. More than a third of his grabs going for scores is impressive, but the Lions need more production from the WR on a week-to-week basis. TeSlaa did come on down the stretch last season, with eight catches for 119 yards and two TDs coming in the final three weeks -- nearly half of all his production.
The Lions believe that if TeSlaa can get off the line more fluidly in Year 2, with his size, he can make himself more available to Jared Goff.
"That gives him the ability in those one-on-one situations and not just win with length, but to win with quickness and length," Montgomery said. "That gives, of course, (Goff) just an even bigger window to throw the football."
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are still options one and two for Goff, but with Kalif Raymond leaving for Chicago in free agency, TeSlaa will have a more significant role in the offense in 2026.