One year after he served as the team's No. 3 wide receiver, veteran Tim Patrick is in danger of not making the team at all in 2025.
Patrick managed to revive his career with the Lions in 2024 after he pulled in 33 receptions for 394 yards and three touchdowns. Detroit re-signed Patrick in free agency and the expectation was that he'd return to his role this season.
However, there are reasons to believe he is anything but a roster lock at this point. Patrick admitted he wasn't doing great earlier in training camp, and now he's been battling an injury that has kept him out of practice for quite awhile.
“This is my first time going through a camp like this,” Patrick told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “So yeah, I'm starting off a little slow, but I promise you by the time the season comes, I'm going to be firing on all cylinders.”
Knowing all that, Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire is predicting that Patrick will not make the cut on the initial 53-man roster and will instead be kept on the practice squad.
Instead, he has the Lions keeping Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond and rookies Isaac TeSlaa, Jackson Meeks and Dominic Lovett.
Starters: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa
Reserves: Kalif Raymond, Jackson Meeks, Dominic Lovett
Isaac TeSlaa's rapid ascension into first-team reps has changed the dynamic here. Some of the third-round rookie's rise is due to Tim Patrick's balky hamstring, and Patrick's lengthy injury history gives the Lions a fair option here: cut the vet and re-sign him to the practice squad. As a vested veteran, Patrick isn't subject to waiver claims from another team.
TeSlaa is already a roster lock and he has played well enough that he could take snaps away from Patrick.
Meeks has been a pleasant surprise for Detroit. Not only is he the team's leading receiver in the preseason, he is also coming off an outstanding showing in preseason Week 2 and continues to build momentum.
Meeks should win out over seventh-round rookie Dominic Lovett, who hasn't done much to stand out and has struggled with some drops in exhibition play.
We tend to believe that if it's between Patrick, who has 46 career starts under his belt, and Lovett for that final spot, the Lions will opt for the veteran, assuming Patrick is healthy.
That said, the simple fact that Patrick can logically be considered in danger of being cut is a huge surprise after what expectations were earlier this offseason.
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