The Lions are sending Golden Tate to Philadelphia, and I like the trade for both teams. Detroit has an eye on the future, while the Eagles are looking to put together a Super Bowl run.
After dropping to 3-4 Sunday, Detroit is correctly playing with one eye on 2019. Here was a chance to pick up an extra third-round pick next year for a player they probably weren’t going to re-sign anyway. They’ve got two other big-time receivers (Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones), and those guys presumably will see a few more balls. I expect they’ll use TJ Jones in the slot, and he should be fine in that role (probably not fantasy worthy).
The Eagles are only 4-4, but they could still have another Super Bowl in them if they can get things dialed in and go on a run. They were looking for another wide receiver, and Tate was the best available.
Tate is very good at running short routes and working in traffic. Philadelphia has been using Nelson Agholor on a lot of those plays, but I’m guessing they think Tate will be an upgrade. In the second half of the season, I expect Tate will be more productive than Agholor. Alshon Jeffery is their best downfield receiver, and I expect he’ll be their most productive wide receiver.
Tate has been really good around the goal-line in recent years. Inside the 10, Matthew Stafford has tried to get him the ball on 21 passes since 2015, and Tate has caught 17 of them. That’s a completion rate of 81 percent – best in the league among the 40 wide receivers with more than 15 targets in that part of the field. Eight of those catches went for touchdowns, and one for a 2-point conversion.
Here are the numbers we’ve cooked up. They include only the 2015-17 seasons. Tate hasn’t been as productive so far this year, catching only 1 of 4 passes inside the 10.
The final column shows touchdowns. If a player also caught 2-point conversions, he’s shown with two numbers. (For Jarvis Landry, for example, his “14+2” means 14 TD catches and a pair of 2-point conversions.)
| WIDE RECEIVERS INSIDE THE 10 (2015-2017) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Com | Pct | TD |
| Golden Tate, Det. | 21 | 17 | 81% | 8+1 |
| Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 24 | 18 | 75% | 14 |
| Cole Beasley, Dall. | 19 | 14 | 74% | 12 |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 20 | 14 | 70% | 11 |
| Brandin Cooks, N.O.-N.E. | 16 | 11 | 69% | 6+1 |
| Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 37 | 24 | 65% | 14+2 |
| Jordan Matthews, Phil. | 17 | 11 | 65% | 7 |
| Mohamed Sanu, Cin.-Atl. | 19 | 12 | 63% | 8+1 |
| Randall Cobb, G.B. | 25 | 15 | 60% | 10+1 |
| Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 38 | 22 | 58% | 14+3 |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 26 | 15 | 58% | 9+2 |
| Seth Roberts, Oak. | 16 | 9 | 56% | 4+3 |
| Eric Decker, NYJ | 25 | 14 | 56% | 9 |
| Allen Robinson, Jac. | 29 | 16 | 55% | 14+1 |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 31 | 17 | 55% | 11+1 |
| Allen Hurns, Jac. | 17 | 9 | 53% | 6 |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 17 | 9 | 53% | 4 |
| Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 19 | 10 | 53% | 7+1 |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 19 | 10 | 53% | 4+1 |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 19 | 10 | 53% | 6 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 25 | 13 | 52% | 12+1 |
| Alshon Jeffery, Chi.-Phil. | 20 | 10 | 50% | 7+3 |
| Brandon LaFell, N.E.-Cin. | 16 | 8 | 50% | 5 |
| A.J. Green, Cin. | 23 | 11 | 48% | 10 |
| Odell Beckham Jr., NYG | 17 | 8 | 47% | 8 |
| Michael Crabtree, Oak. | 31 | 14 | 45% | 11+3 |
| Anquan Boldin, S.F.-Det. | 18 | 8 | 44% | 5 |
| Devin Funchess, Car. | 16 | 7 | 44% | 5+1 |
| Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 30 | 13 | 43% | 8+1 |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 30 | 13 | 43% | 7 |
| Marvin Jones, Cin.-Det. | 21 | 9 | 43% | 6 |
| Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 19 | 8 | 42% | 5 |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 17 | 7 | 41% | 4+1 |
| Jamison Crowder, Wash. | 22 | 9 | 41% | 3+2 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 30 | 12 | 40% | 9+3 |
| Pierre Garcon, Wash. | 19 | 6 | 32% | 4 |
| Amari Cooper, Oak. | 18 | 5 | 28% | 3+2 |
| Dez Bryant, Dall. | 26 | 7 | 27% | 6 |
| Jermaine Kearse, Sea.-NYJ | 18 | 3 | 17% | 3 |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 18 | 2 | 11% | 2 |
—Ian Allan