With Calvin Johnson entering retirement, the Detroit Lions are searching for options to help fill the void left by Megatron.

When asked at a recent question and answer session held by the team who he believed could be ready for a breakout season in 2016, quarterback Matthew Stafford pointed to 2014 sixth-rounder TJ Jones.

Jones, who hails from Winnipeg, missed his entire rookie season and six games last season due to injury. In 10 games, the wide receiver hauled in 10 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown in 2015.

Stafford’s choice was relatively surprising considering the team’s addition of Marvin Jones in free agency and the expectations tight end Eric Ebron, who was a first-round pick in 2014. Nonetheless, Jones was happy to receive the support from his quarterback.

“I definitely appreciate him thinking of me in that manner,” Jones told the Lions’ website. “It’s definitely satisfying when you can tell over the last two years, personally, that I’ve made strides in my game on and off the field.

“When you see other people in your position group or even the quarterback starting to notice it’s definitely letting you know that you’re heading in the right direction with the work that you’re doing.  If anything, now I have to step it up another notch to what I was doing in my regimen and get that much better.”

The Notre Dame product is expected to compete with free-agent signee Jeremy Kerley for the team’s third wide receiver spot, behind Golden Tate and M. Jones.

The 23-year-old received another vote of confidence when the Lions declined to select a receiver at last weekend’s NFL Draft.

Johnson made 88 receptions for 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns last year, production the team must now work to replace.

In his senior year with the Fighting Irish, Jones made 70 receptions for 1,108 yards and nine touchdowns.