The Detroit Lions may have found their X-receiver. According to Cecil Lammey, the Lions are signing veteran receiver Tim Patrick, with Adam Schefter reporting that Patrick will join Detroit’s practice squad.
Initial reports indicated that the Denver Broncos attempted to trade Patrick before the 53-man roster deadline, and while there was some interest, no deal materialized, leading to his release on Tuesday. As a vested veteran, Patrick had the freedom to sign with any team and chose to join the Lions.
Patrick has enjoyed a productive NFL career. Although he went undrafted in 2017, the Broncos picked him up the following year, where he developed into a reliable player. His stats over four seasons with the Broncos include:
– 2018: 23 catches, 315 yards, 1 TD
– 2019: 16 catches, 218 yards (limited to 8 games due to a hand injury)
– 2020: 51 catches, 742 yards, 6 TDs
– 2021: 53 catches, 734 yards, 5 TDs
Unfortunately, Patrick’s career was interrupted by two consecutive season-ending injuries during the preseason—an ACL tear in 2022 and an Achilles tear in 2023.
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Despite these setbacks, reports from Broncos training camp suggested Patrick was healthy and performing well this year. In two preseason games, he caught five passes for 44 yards, including a touchdown.
Lions Adding Patrick does come with significant risk, especially given that he’s a 30-year-old receiver coming off two major injuries. However, he embodies the qualities the Lions seek in a receiver. Standing at 6-foot-4 and known for his willingness to block, Patrick has the height and production typical of a classic WR-X, making him a potentially valuable addition to the team.
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