Detroit Lions News: Health of Receiving Corps Will Make or Break Season

The Detroit Lions have enough talent to win the Super Bowl.

But, as the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles will tell you, looking elite on paper means absolutely nothing. For the Lions to reach their full potential, Matt Stafford isn’t the only one that has to stay healthy. The ceiling on Detroit’s receiving corps is so high that it could carry the franchise to New Orleans in February.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reported that Calvin Johnson already has a minor finger injury, but he missed practice on Monday due to another reason. Coach Jim Schwartz said of his status:

“He wasn’t shut down because of his finger. It was just general camp kind of legs and soreness. He needed a day here, too. Calvin doesn’t have a regulator, either.”

Johnson isn’t the only Lions wideout that isn’t at full strength.

According to Justin Rodgers of Michigan Live, Schwartz also commented on Ryan Broyles, who missed Detroit’s preseason opener because he's recovering from a torn ACL. He said:

"

His knee has been sore and we shut him down for a little bit. It doesn't make any sense to keep on going unless he was ready to go. He knows how to get open. He's not 100 percent physically.

"

If Stafford’s arsenal of Johnson, Nate Burleson, Titus Young, Broyles, Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler stays on the field in 2012, Detroit’s offense will be unstoppable. That’s simply too much talent at the disposal of one of the most talented passers in the NFL.

But the thing is that Burleson has extensive injury history, Broyles is coming off major surgery, Pettigrew suffered a season-ending injury as a rookie, Young’s 5’11”, 175-pound frame makes him susceptible and, of course, for Megatron, there’s the Madden curse.

Are the Lions talented enough to take a blow to their receiving corps and compete for a title? That remains to be seen, but many believe their numerous offseason issues are a sign that they’ll take a step back this year. I, for one, don’t expect a drop off, but Detroit does need Stafford’s arsenal in one piece if it wants to challenge the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers or New York Giants.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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