MLive will preview each of the Detroit Lions' position groups heading into the start of training camp on July 27. Today: Receiver/tight end. Previously: Running back | Quarterback | Offensive line

Roster locks: WR Marvin Jones, WR Golden Tate, WR Kenny Golladay, TE Luke Willson, TE Michael Roberts

Competing: WR TJ Jones, WR Jace Billingsley, WR Teo Redding, WR Brandon Powell, WR Chris Lacy, WR Deontez Alexander, WR Andy Jones, WR Dontez Ford, WR Bradley Marquez, TE Levine Toiolo, TE Hakeem Valles, TE Sean McGrath, TE Marcus Lucas

Notable departures: Eric Ebron, Darren Fells

Breakdown: Golden Tate racked up 1,000 yards receiving last year. So did Marvin Jones. You know how many other teams had multiple players do that? Here, let me save you the time.

Nobody.

Now Tate's back for the final season of that five-year deal he signed with Detroit back in 2014. All he's done since then is rack up more yards after the catch than any other receiver in the game. He's also broken the most tackles. Yeah, this guy is pretty good. The only question with him is just how much longer Detroit will enjoy his services. He's on the record saying he wants to sign an extension -- he once said he'd like to end his career here -- but the market for receivers is booming and there's no telling how much Bob Quinn will be willing to pay for a wideout that will turn 31 before he plays a down under any new deal. Those negotiations will loom large during training camp, when Quinn has locked in other core players to new deals.

Either way, Tate will continue to enjoy some help alongside him in Marvin Jones, who put that up-and-down debut season behind him by hanging some crooked numbers on defenses last year. That was especially true on the deep ball, where he caught 16 of his 31 targets. That led the league. So did his 18.0 yards per catch, and his five long-ball touchdowns were third.

One of the big reasons for his emergence was his growing chemistry with Matthew Stafford, and that should continue to strengthen in their third year together. Jones' offseason sessions with Randy Moss helped too, and he said he expected to return this offseason, hoping to add some YAC ability to his game.

With Tate doing his thing in the short field, and Jones in the long field, young Kenny Golladay figures to see plenty of favorable matchups as Detroit's third receiver. Which is a scary thing to say about a guy who is 6-foot-5 and just led all rookies in 40-yard catches. Who knows what his overall production numbers will look like because Tate and Jones are still the top targets, but expect him to play a growing role, especially in the red zone.

Not a bad starting lineup, and TJ Jones is back for good measure as well. He's not a flashy player, but he's valuable because he can back up all three receiver positions. Plus, Matthew Stafford likes him a lot. That means the top four positions are probably spoken for, which leaves maybe one job up for grabs. Jace Billingsley is a serious candidate there, after getting an interesting audition in a variety of roles during spring practice. Teo Redding, an undrafted rookie out of Bowling Green, is another. He made some impressive plays downfield during those early portions of the offseason.

At tight end, things are far more uncertain. Detroit cut top pass-catcher Eric Ebron to save some money at the outset of free agency, then failed in its bid to re-sign top blocker Darren Fells. Those guys accounted for 87.4 percent of the tight end snaps last year. Michael Roberts, the leading returner, had just four catches. So there is serious turnover here, and it could change how the offense operates.

With that said, Roberts very well could be ready to step into the spotlight. He led the nation in touchdown catches his final season at Toledo, and his practice efforts show why. He doesn't have Ebron's speed, but he does run well for a big guy and is physical at the top of the route. He has soft hands, too. It's not a stretch at all to think Detroit will look to him in the red zone this season.

He won't have to do it alone, either. Detroit went out and signed Luke Willson in free agency. Willson never caught more than 22 passes in his five seasons with Seattle, but that also had a lot to do with playing behind Jimmy Graham. Detroit believes he's better than the numbers indicate, and if spring practices were any indication, the coaching staff will give Willson the opportunity to prove it.

One dark horse to consider: Hakeem Valles, a pass-catcher with an intriguing skill-set. He also loves this system. In fact, he passed on an offer to join Arizona's 53-man roster last year to stay on Detroit's practice squad. He felt like he was getting better here, and would have a chance to compete for a role in 2018. He'll have serious competition to make the team, including from Levine Toiolo, but he's worth keeping an eye on.

Roster prediction: WR Marvin Jones, WR Golden Tate, WR Kenny Golladay, WR TJ Jones, TE Luke Willson, TE Michael Roberts, TE Levine Toiolo