Detroit Lions

Golden Tate 'absolutely' ready to take over as Lions' No. 1 WR

Published Feb. 4, 2016 2:49 p.m. ET

foxsports

If Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson decides to make his retirement official, Golden Tate is ready to step up and take his place.

Never one to hide his confidence, Tate said he can be Detroit's No. 1 wide receiver in 2016.

Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:

Absolutely. That’s how I prepare. I prepare as if I’m the No. 1. I didn’t come to Detroit thinking I was No. 2. We understand the situation I came into, but I think, as a competitor, you’ve got to prepare like you’re the No. 1 because you never know what’s going to happen with injuries, different changes in the locker room. But I have a lot of confidence that I can do it and I hope that everyone else does, as well.

Tate has led the Lions in receptions since joining the team before the 2014 season, recording at least 90 each of the past two years. Although this past season was a down year for him in terms of yardage (813), he set a career-high with 1,331 yards in 2014. That doesn't mean he's necessarily ready to replace Johnson, though.

Johnson and Tate are polar opposites. Johnson is 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, making him a big-bodied pass-catcher who can draw and beat double-teams with his leaping ability and strong hands; Tate is 5-foot-10, 198-pound pass-catcher who specializes in making people miss with his lightning-quick cuts.

It'll be tough for the Lions to rebuild their offense around a completely different type of pass-catcher, but Tate seems to be up for the challenge.