Jesse James Describes 'Pretty Brutal' First Season in Detroit

Read more on Detroit Lions tight end Jesse James' "pretty brutal" first season in Motown

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell understands that production from the tight end unit must increase this upcoming season. 

"As far as those guys go (T.J. Hockenson and Jesse James), I just had a conversation with Jesse, and it's my job to help those guys get more involved," Bevell said back in June. "The good part about the job is I have all these weapons, and that's also the bad part about the job. I mean, there's only one ball. I talked to Jesse about getting Jesse more involved. But, all those guys need to have opportunities to touch the ball -- whether they're the skill guys on the outside or whether it's the easiest way handing it to those running backs.

"We have to be able to find a good mix to keep the defenses honest. Just like last year, you'll see a tight end have a big game, you'll see a wideout have a big game. Sometimes that's scheme. Sometimes it's matchup. It's what the defense is presenting to us and who they're putting on guys. So, I think you'll still see it move around in terms of who gets the ball. But, definitely it's something I've talked to those (tight ends) about, getting them more involved where they're showing up and having games like that."

When Lions general manager Bob Quinn signed James last offseason to a four-year, $22.6 million contract, it's fair to say the organization had some relatively high expectations for James. And he didn't come anywhere close to meeting them.

Perhaps, it was one of the worst deals in the entire league a year ago.

The former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end only caught 16 passes for 142 yards in 2019 -- the third-most yards among Lions tight ends. 

When asked Thursday in a video conference, James described his "brutal" first season in Detroit -- both for himself and for the team.

"It wasn't a great year -- tough. The toughest year I had as a pro for sure," he said. "A lot of learning. Just worked as hard as you could all year, and nothing really ended up working out for me personally. It's just part of the job, and didn't change the way I approach the work week. I learned a lot. Got better. I feel like I've improved a lot since then."

Last season was no doubt disappointing for many on the Lions' roster, including James. 

A 3-12-1 record left many feeling disappointed and hoping for a chance at redemption in 2020.

"(It was) pretty brutal," James explained. "We had a rough patch there at the end. We couldn't find a way to win. We battled every week, but when you go that long without winning, it's tough mentally for the whole team. It really was a different situation I hadn't been in. Battle everyday -- we worked our tails off. Hopefully, we see some improvement, and learn from what happened last year." 

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