The Facts: Many were skeptical of Ebron from the moment he was drafted. But Ebron didn't help himself, either, with a quiet rookie season. And that looked even worse once guys like Odell Beckham and Aaron Donald — guys drafted after him — blew up with monster seasons. And that has many throwing out around the "B" word. Bust. What does Ebron think of that? "It is what it is," he said. "It's one year. You can claim what you want to claim. Your opinions and your statements don't mean anything to me. It is what it is."

Diehards Line:The Lions passed on instant producers such as Beckham, Donald and Taylor Lewan to select Ebron with the 10th overall pick in last year's draft. They billed the tight end as a Jimmy Graham-type who would operate mostly as a pass-catcher out of the slot. Detroit was installing its own version of the Saints' scheme last season, so Ebron seemed like a fit. But he fell well short of expectations. Still, HC Jim Caldwell and OC Joe Lombardi have seen enough development to expect Ebron to become the No. 3 pass-catcher for Matthew Stafford this season. "He's grown up a little bit more," receiver Golden Tate said. "His confidence is way high right now. He's playing well." Will that be enough for Ebron to finally emerge as the pass-catching weapon Detroit envisioned him to be? Or will he prove his haters right and become a bust? "We'll find out in August," Ebron said. "The whole world will, too."