Golden Tate (top) will join with Calvin Johnson in a fearsome Lions’ passing attack. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate and the Detroit Lions agreed on a reported five-year, $31 million deal (with $13.25 million guaranteed) Wednesday.
Tate, 25, had 65 receptions for 898 yards and five touchdowns for the Seahawks in 2013. He has produced 165 catches for 2,195 yards and 15 TDs in four seasons in Seattle.
The Biletnikoff Award winner as college football’s best receiver was selected by the Seahawks in the second round (No. 60 overall) of the 2010 NFL draft out of Notre Dame. Tate also excels as a punt returner, averaging 11.5 yards per return in 2013.
Tate joins Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford in a passing attack that ranked third in the NFL in passing yards last season. As a point of reference, Seattle ranked 31st in the league in passing attempts in 2013; Detroit ranked fifth.
Wow I’m officially a Detroit #Lion. Extremely excited about the opportunity to grow with this organization.
— Golden Tate (@ShowtimeTate) March 12, 2014
Grade: B+. Tate is an excellent second receiver who can get open in the slot and out wide. It took him a couple years to get the hang of route concepts at the NFL level, but with a lot of hard work and coaching patience, he eventually became a valuable part of Seattle’s offense and special teams. Paired with Calvin Johnson, and going from a Seahawks offense that doesn’t throw the ball much to a Lions team that has taken a throw-first approach through the Matthew Stafford era, Tate stands to grab stats in line with his talent. And with Calvin Johnson drawing so much coverage in every game, he should be able to use his speed and agility to get open on a consistent basis. – Doug Farrar
