The Detroit Lions made the move a lot of fans hoped they would make and they have brought back receiver Tim Patrick for another season.
One of the biggest concerns for the Lions last offseason was the loss of Josh Reynolds and how they would replace him. This wasn't just a media concern, the Lions were saying all this stuff out loud.
"Yeah, it's still the same as where it's been at. We're waiting for somebody to step forward, you know? We're waiting for any one of those guys to step forward. We're dying for somebody to step up and say, 'Hey, man, I'm your guy. I'll be the same consistent player every day and find a way to make a play every day."
That was Dan Campbell in August and it was far from the only time he brought it up. The Lions wound up not going with any of the depth receivers they had on their roster at the time. The Lions grabbed Patrick the day after final cut-downs and he was great in 2024.
The big thing the Lions wanted to replace that Reynolds had was the ability to get first downs. Last season Josh Reynolds caught 40 passes and 32 of them were for first downs. In 2024 Patrick caught 33 passes with 20 of them being for first downs.
The Lions wanted a third receiver that could make big plays when called upon and they found that guy in the trash heap instead of using a draft pick or signing an expensive free agent. What a steal for this franchise and what a smart move to bring him back.
Don't expect this to wipe receiver off the board for the Lions in the 2025 NFL Draft. This team is still in need of more depth there and while Patrick is awesome to have in Detroit, he'll be 32 years old this season. The Lions need a younger version of him for both now and the future.
