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The next installment in our training camp preview series looks at the Lions’ wide receivers room.
With
Detroit Lions 2025 training camp just a few weeks away, we have restarted our annual roster preview series. If you’re not familiar with this series, we guide you position-by-position through the roster, examining the starting, reserve, and specialty roles, which players are competing for which jobs, and project how the Lions will approach each situation.
In this installment, we examine the Lions’ wide receivers room, speculate on current and future roles, and discuss how many players from this group could make the 53-man roster.
Previous training camp previews:
Setting the table
The Lions entered the offseason determined not to repeat their mistakes from the previous year, when they struggled to find a starting WR-X during training camp. With Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Kalif Raymond all under contract, the Lions quickly
re-signed Tim Patrick in free agency, cementing the return of their top four wide receivers.
As for the rest of the receiver room, the Lions’ WR5 and WR6 roles were occupied by a rotation of players, with veteran Tom Kennedy being the only receiver of the group to
re-sign in Detroit. Undrafted rookie
Isaiah Williams was on the roster through Week 9 but was released, and the Bengals claimed him off waivers. Maurice Alexander
joined Ben Johnson in Chicago this offseason. Allen Robinson was active, but seldom used, for the majority of the season, was not re-signed, and is currently a free agent.
To fill the now vacated openings, the Lions opted for a youth movement. The Lions kicked things off by
signing former Michigan receiver Ronnie Bell to a futures contract. Then, Detroit added four rookies,
drafting Isaac TeSlaa in the third round,
Dominic Lovett in the seventh, then
signing Jakobie Keeney-James and Jackson Meeks as their two highest-paid undrafted free agents. Additionally, following a tryout at rookie minicamp, veteran
Malik Taylor was signed to the roster.
In all, the Lions enter training camp with 11 receivers under contract, including their top four producers from last season, four rookies, and three veterans competing for snaps.
Roster construction
Under the Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell regime, the Lions have typically kept between five and six wide receivers on the active roster and at least two on the practice squad. Let’s take a look at what they’ve done in the previous four seasons:
- 2021: Opened the season with seven receivers on the roster but quickly cut that number to six and played out the season with those players.
- 2022: Opened with five receivers but expanded to six once Jameson Williams returned from the NFI list.
- 2023: Opened with five receivers with Williams suspended, but opted for six once he returned.
- 2024: Opened the season with five but expanded to six for Weeks 2-10 (after they released Isaiah Williams), and closed out the rest of the season with just five.
The battleground
Entering 2025 training camp, the Lions appear set with their top four high-level producers; however, there are plenty of questions surrounding how the depth of this position group will shake out.
Will the Lions keep 6 WRs?
As with any
Super Bowl contender, Detroit will face some difficult roster decisions following training camp. While the Lions have often kept only five receivers on the roster, this is mainly due to team injuries, and their preference appears to lean toward keeping six under ideal circumstances.
Furthermore, the Lions are known for not squandering their investments, and with the amount of capital utilized on youth at receiver this offseason, they likely have a plan to retain at least one rookie—and maybe all four.
Can the Lions retain all four rookies for development?
While the Lions could end up keeping one or two rookie wide receivers on their 53-man roster, they’ll need to work to retain all four. This means hoping the released players clear waivers and agree to join the practice squad.
Historically, Lions draft picks that have been released at cutdowns and
UDFAs that receive a $20,000 signing bonus with over $100,000 in guarantees, tend to sign onto the Lions practice squad for further development. The Lions will likely need to sell the rookies on a path to the roster being in their future, and with Patrick and Raymond both over 30 years old and in contract seasons, there could be multiple opportunities in 2026 and beyond.
Making a case for roles in 2025 and the future
Let’s take a look at the receivers beyond the top four and explore what they’d need to do in order to secure a spot on the active roster (as WR5 or WR6) or practice squad.
- Isaac TeSlaa (6-foot-4, 214): Considering the draft capital used to acquire TeSlaa, it would be shocking to see him end up anywhere besides the active roster. The Lions are a merit-based team, but he’s going to get loads of opportunities to prove he’s worth his slot selection.
- Dominic Lovett (5-foot-10, 185): As a seventh-round pick, things are less certain for Lovett. However, with skills similar to Raymond, it’s easy to see the Lions looking to groom the rookie as an eventual replacement. It won’t guarantee him a spot on the active roster, but his speed and special teams skills—including as a returner and gunner—could be what gives him the eventual edge.
- Tom Kennedy (5-foot-10, 195): One of the steadiest players on the Lions roster, Kennedy is entering his seventh (!) season in Detroit. While his lack of special teams skills has historically limited him to the practice squad, his reliability results in him seeing game action virtually every season as an injury replacement. For him to make the active roster, he’ll need to earn a role on special teams.
- Ronnie Bell (6-foot-0, 195): After two seasons in San Francisco, Bell and the 49ers parted ways this offseason, and Detroit jumped at the opportunity to add the former Wolverine. For Bell to make the roster in Detroit, he’ll need to show off his reliable hands and earn a role on special teams. After 111 special teams snaps during his rookie season with the 49ers, that number was reduced to 13 last season. That’ll need to improve in order to stick in Detroit.
- Jakobie Keeney-James (6-foot-0, 190): With over a $250,000 in contractual guarantees—the most amongst the Lions UDFAs—the Lions certainly like what they see in Keeney-James. For him to make the active roster, he’ll need to show his elite speed translates to the NFL and that he can earn a role on special teams. A spot on the practice squad seems like Keeney-James' floor.
- Jackson Meeks (6-foot-2, 218): A potential WR-X with gunner skills is a unique combination, which is why Meeks was guaranteed only slightly less than Keeney-James in this UDFA class. In order to make the active roster, Meeks will need to prove he’s the Lions' best option to eventually replace Patrick as a future WR-X. A spot on the practice squad is a realistic outcome.
- Malik Taylor (6-foot-1, 220): Despite entering the NFL in 2019 (the same year as Raymond), Taylor has not found a consistent team to play for during his career. The Flint native earned a contract in Detroit during a tryout at rookie minicamp, but to secure a spot on the active roster, he’ll need to demonstrate that his veteran savviness is more valuable than investing in a younger developmental receiver.
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