Tim Patrick

WR Tim Patrick Drew Trade Interest From Multiple Teams

Tim Patrick survived roster cuts last week but he did not remain in place with the Lions long after that point. The veteran wideout was traded to the Jaguars one day after Detroit’s initial roster was in place.

A sixth-round pick was exchanged to allow Patrick to head to Jacksonville just ahead of Week 1. That return certainly suggests a tepid market existed in this case, but other suitors were in the mix as well. Lions general manager Brad Holmes said (via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard) multiple teams showed interest in acquiring Patrick.

In 2024, the 31-year-old found success in a complementary role with Detroit. Patrick totaled 394 yards and three touchdowns on 33 catches, and that production landed him $2.5MM guaranteed on a new Lions pact in the spring. Instead of a second campaign in the Motor City, though, the former Bronco will spend the coming campaign in Jacksonville. He will add a veteran presence to a heavily renovated WR room in the process.

The Jaguars traded away Christian Kirk while also releasing Gabe Davis and Devin Duvernay. Jacksonville’s new regime will rely heavily on 2024 first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr. along with No. 2 pick Travis Hunter (whose exact offensive workload is yet to be determined, of course) in the passing game. Free agent addition Dyami Brown is also in the fold for 2025, but Patrick – a fellow pending free agent – will look to carve out the No. 3 role on his latest team.

In the meantime, the Lions will move forward with plenty of continuity at the receiver spot. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond are set to reprise their roles from last season. Third-year tight end Sam LaPorta can again be expected to serve as a focal point in the passing game as well. With a limited workload in store for Patrick had he remained with the Lions, Holmes noted he felt the change of scenery was the best case scenario for all involved.

With Patrick no longer in the fold, third-round rookie Isaac TeSlaa could stand to benefit. The training camp standout primarily worked with the backups on offense this summer, but Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes an increased role could become available as the season progresses. During his two-year run at Arkansas, TeSlaa flashed potential based on his size and athleticism. Especially with Raymond scheduled for free agency next spring, a starting spot could be available to TeSlaa in 2026 or even earlier depending on how the coming months play out.

Lions To Trade WR Tim Patrick To Jaguars

For a second straight August, Tim Patrick will be on the move. A year after making a Denver-to-Detroit trip, the veteran wide receiver is heading to Jacksonville.

The Lions are trading Patrick to the Jaguars, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports. The Jags are sending a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Lions in this trade. Patrick is tied to a guaranteed one-year, $2.5MM deal. The deal is now official, and the Jags waived wide receiver Austin Trammell to clear a roster spot.

Patrick, 31, had missed two full seasons but managed to stay healthy after joining the Lions in 2024. The Broncos moved on from the 6-foot-4 receiver following training camp last year, dangling him in trades before not including him as part of their initial 53-man roster. As Denver went with a younger group of pass catchers alongside Courtland Sutton, Patrick caught on with Detroit’s practice squad before making a quick move onto the active roster.

The former UDFA caught 33 passes for 394 yards and three TDs, working as a possession receiver in an explosive Lions attack. Patrick operated as an auxiliary wideout for a Lions team that had three defined targets ahead of him — Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta — and made key contributions for a 15-2 juggernaut. The season reestablished some value for Patrick, who suffered ACL and Achilles tears during the 2022 and ’23 training camps.

While Patrick did not live up to the three-year, $30MM extension he signed with the Broncos during the 2021 season, his reemergence caught the Jaguars’ attention. Patrick posted back-to-back 700-plus-yard years (2020-21), drawing a second-round RFA tender, and will now be positioned to complement Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. The Jags also signed Dyami Brown to a one-year deal.

The ex-Commanders Day 2 draftee and Patrick are positioned as complementary pieces, though it is still not known how much Hunter will play on offense as he prepares for a historic two-way role. Patrick stands to give the Jags some cover there, as Hunter may not be available on a full-time basis offensively.

This trade clears some runway space for Lions third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa, a Combine standout whom the team traded up for in the third round. The Lions used third- and seventh-round picks on receivers (Dominic Lovett going in Round 7) and kept six on their initial 53-man roster Tuesday. Detroit traded up 30 spots (from No. 102 to No. 70) for TeSlaa, highlighting an interest in developing him as its WR3 for the time being. Two years remain on Williams’ rookie deal.

Lions Re-Sign WR Tim Patrick

Tim Patrick‘s return to the NFL resulted in a strong season with the Lions in 2024. The veteran wideout will remain in Detroit for at least one more campaign.

The Lions announced on Friday that Patrick has been re-signed. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports this will be a one-year deal worth up to $4MM. A complementary role will again be in store on a Detroit team led by Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams at the receiver position.

Patrick had a successful run with the Broncos from 2018-21, but two major injuries derailed his career. The former UDFA suffered an ACL tear in 2022, and he missed the entire campaign as a result. Patrick was set to return the following year, but an offseason Achilles tear left him sidelined for 2023 as well. His Denver release during roster cutdowns this past summer came after talks on a Saints trade did not produce a deal.

In spite of that, Patrick did not need to wait long to find a new opportunity. The Utah product took a deal on the Lions’ practice squad, and after being elevated three teams he found himself as a regular presence in the lineup. Patrick handled a 59% snap share, operating as a key role player on the league’s highest-scoring offense. He posted 33 catches for 394 yards and three touchdowns during his debut Detroit campaign, and similar production will be expected moving forward.

Fellow receiver Allen Robinson is open to re-signing with the Lions, but the former Pro Bowler is also giving thought to retirement. Robinson hardly made an impact in 2024, but if he elected to hang up his cleats (or sign elsewhere as a free agent) Patrick’s continued presence would provide important continuity on offense as the team enters the post-Ben Johnson era on offense. Patrick, 31, could help his 2026 free agent stock with another productive Lions campaign, and it will be interesting to see if he takes on an even larger role in the passing game next season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/24/24

Tuesday’s minor moves around the NFL:

Chicago Bears

 Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Patrick was among the Broncos’ final roster cuts but he quickly landed a deal with the Lions on their practice squad. Healthy after back-to-back years featuring major injuries, the 30-year-old has twice been a gameday elevation so far this year and logged a 44% offensive snap share. He will aim to remain in a depth role while now permanently on the active roster.

Covey will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks given today’s move. His injury is particularly notable given the fact A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are both injured at the moment, thinning out the team’s receiver room. Covey, 27, received seven targets across the past two games and Philadelphia will need to turn to other options for a complementary role at wideout (along with the return game).

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/24

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Players like Hollman, Vigil, Webb, and Quarterman will now be getting called up for the third time this season. The NFL rules limit a practice squad player to three standard gameday elevations per contract. If their teams want to get them into more games in the future, the normal route is for them to be signed to the active roster after this weekend then released/waived and signed to new practice squad deals, starting their three-game count over.

Shy Tuttle‘s foot injury will keep him off the field for Week 3, as the Panthers announced that the defensive tackle has been downgraded from doubtful to out. The Panthers called up Williams to temporarily take the open roster spot. The defensive end started 10 of his 16 appearances for the Panthers last season, and he landed back on Carolina’s practice squad last month after spending the preseason with the Bills.

The Browns announced a handful of moves ahead of their game with the Giants tomorrow. Notably, the team didn’t promote any offensive tackles, which provided some optimism surrounding the availability of their injured tackles. While Jedrick Wills Jr. is expected to play (per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal), Jack Conklin will not (per Tony Grossi of 850 ESPN Cleveland). Conklin hasn’t played since Week 1 of the 2023 season while recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. He practiced this week and was initially listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game, but it sounds like a new hamstring injury is the culprit for his Week 3 absence.

With both Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce set to miss Sunday’s trip to Minnesota, the Texans are bringing up Taylor off the practice squad. Taylor will back up Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale against the Vikings this weekend.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/14/24

Saturday’s minor transactions and gameday practice squad callups:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Patrick was among the Broncos’ final roster cuts after a Saints trade was discussed. The 30-year-old missed the 2022 and ’23 campaigns due to ACL and Achilles tears, respectively. Patrick did not need to wait long to find a new opportunity, though, quickly landing a practice squad deal with the Lions. He is now positioned make his season debut tomorrow as a complementary option in Detroit’s passing attack.

Olszewski is dealing with a groin injury and he was known to be facing a long-term absence. Today’s move thus comes as no surprise, but it ensures at least a four-week absence. The former All-Pro scored a punt return touchdown with Pittsburgh early last season and added another during his 10-game Giants stretch to close out the year. The team will need to rely on other options in the return game for the time being.

Broncos, Saints Discussed Tim Patrick Trade

Tim Patrick regularly saw time with Broncos starters during training camp and the preseason, but it now looks like the team was attempting to showcase the recovered wide receiver for trades. After the Broncos tried to trade Patrick, they ended up releasing him.

This led the veteran wide receiver to the Lions’ practice squad. Patrick is expected to move up to Detroit’s 53-man roster soon, and a role as an auxiliary wide receiver — for a team that saw previous Amon-Ra St. Brown complementary target Josh Reynolds sign with the Broncos — appears on tap. But Patrick was nearly traded to a team that features more questions at receiver.

Patrick said Thursday (via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett) the Broncos informed him of talks with the Saints before cutdown day. A Saints-to-Broncos pipeline has certainly formed since Sean Payton‘s Denver arrival, but this would have sent a player the other way. Patrick, 30, does have a tie in New Orleans; new Saints OC Klint Kubiak was in Denver for multiple stints during Patrick’s career. Kubiak served as an offensive assistant from 2016-18, overlapping with Patrick’s Denver P-squad time and 2018 move onto the active roster, and returned as QBs coach in 2022.

The Saints have an established top two of Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed; questions exist beyond this duo, however. New Orleans considered Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency and ended up with recent Dolphins WR3 Cedrick Wilson Jr. on their roster. The team drafted A.T. Perry in the 2023 sixth round, as part of a trade that sent tight end Adam Trautman to Denver, and used a fifth-round pick on Bub Means this year.

Although Payton has touted the Broncos’ newfound receiving depth, the team is attempting to elevate Marvin Mims to a regular role post-Jerry Jeudy and may need to rely on Reynolds alongside Courtland Sutton as well. The Broncos drafted two Day 3 wideouts (fourth-rounder Troy Franklin, seventh-rounder Devaughn Vele), only keeping five on their 53-man roster. Denver memorably turned down a third-round offer for Sutton (from the 49ers, in what would have effectively been a three-team trade that sent Brandon Aiyuk to the Steelers), despite trading Jeudy to the Browns for fifth- and sixth-round picks in March.

With the team since the final days of its Demaryius ThomasEmmanuel Sanders duo, Patrick excelled as an auxiliary receiver for the Broncos from 2020-21. Denver gave the former UDFA a three-year, $30MM extension but saw him suffer ACL (2022) and Achilles (2023) tears during training camp. Patrick has made it back, playing in Denver’s first two preseason games and catching a touchdown pass from Bo Nix against the Packers.

The Lions will attempt to get him up to speed, as a role alongside St. Brown and Jameson Williams could await despite Detroit not needing to part with any trade compensation.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC North

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These BearsLionsPackers and Vikings moves are noted below.

Chicago Bears

Signed:

Claimed:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Detroit Lions

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Green Bay Packers

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Minnesota Vikings

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

WR Tim Patrick Expected To Join Lions

Tim Patrick was let go by the Broncos earlier today after no trade partner could be found. The veteran wideout has not needed to wait long to find his next home, however.

Patrick is expected to sign with the Lions, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. This will be a practice squad agreement at first with the plan being to move him to the active roster in short order. That move has become increasingly popular around the NFL as it pertains to veteran additions, and in Patrick’s case it will allow him to compete for a notable receiving role in Detroit.

The 30-year-old missed all of 2022 and ’23 due to ACL and Achilles tears, respectively. Those major ailments led to questions about his roster status with the Broncos moving forward, but upon returning to full health he seemed to have a spot lined up in Denver. It was learned yesterday, however, that the team was shopping him in an effort to work out a trade. After no deal on that front materialized, Patrick was among the Broncos’ final cuts.

The former UDFA played with Denver from 2018-21. Over the final two years of that stretch in particular, he established himself as a full-time starter and impact producer. Patrick totaled 1,476 yards and 11 touchdowns during his last two Broncos campaigns, but after missing the past two seasons altogether it would have been fair to wonder if he would have drawn early interest in free agency. The Lions have proven that to be true.

Detroit’s passing game is set to once again be led by All-Pro wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown and record-breaking tight end Sam LaPorta in 2024. While former first-rounder Jameson Williams is positioned to take on the WR2 role, the Lions’ depth has been a talking point since Josh Reynolds departed (to the Broncos, as it turned out) in free agency. Donovan Peoples-Jones was let go, creating a vacancy in the receiving corps. Patrick will spend the coming weeks attempting to fill it.

Broncos Release Tim Patrick, Samaje Perine To Trim Roster To 53

Teams have moved their rosters to 53 players. Here is how the Broncos pared theirs down to the regular-season limit:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

  • OLB Durell Nchami

Placed on reserve/PUP:

IR/designated for return:

Patrick and Perine trades did not come to fruition. Both veterans are heading to free agency. Patrick had been with the Broncos since joining their practice squad in 2017; only Garett Bolles has been on the team longer. But Denver has added several wide receivers under Sean Payton‘s watch. Patrick, a John Elway-era pickup who signed an extension under GM George Paton, became expendable for the younger talent. The 30-year-old wideout has recovered from the ACL and Achilles tears that prevented him from playing a down with Russell Wilson. Humphrey may well be a practice squad option, given his New Orleans past with Payton.

Perine, 28, has been connected to a Bengals return. The veteran backup/pass-down option can now sign anywhere he chooses. Perine set a career high in receiving yardage (455) during his one-and-done Broncos run; Denver’s dead money charge ($1.5MM) will likely be offset if/once Perine lands elsewhere.

Sanders sustained an Achilles tear this offseason. The 2023 third-round pick figures to be in the team’s plans for later this season, but he will miss time — at least four games, per the PUP designation — on his rehab trek. Mathis must also miss four games, having suffered a high ankle sprain. The third-year cornerback is slated to return at some point, and the Broncos are using an IR-return designation, dropping their number from eight to seven to start the season.

Burton was viewed as a safe bet to make the team, and while roster gymnastics — which are less useful now that this IR-return tweak is in the mix — could bring him back, he received word of a release. Burton is a nine-year vet who spent last season with the Broncos. Mustipher signed this offseason but was not viewed as a true contender for the center spot, which appears set to go to 2022 fifth-round pick Luke Wattenberg.

Many of these players figure to be brought back to Denver’s practice squad, which can be set beginning Wednesday. Sixteen players will fill out that unit.