Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick is expected to sign with the Detroit Lions on the practice squad with the idea he will work his way onto the active roster, sources tell Adam Schefter.
The Broncos released Patrick on Tuesday, reducing their roster to 53 players.
“On behalf of everyone in the organization, I just can’t say enough good things about the type of player, the person, Tim Patrick has been as a Bronco for the last seven seasons,” Broncos general manager George Paton said Tuesday.
Patrick missed the last two seasons due to injury, but returned to full training camp this year and had five receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown in the preseason.
He missed the 2022 season with a torn ACL suffered in training camp that summer, then missed the 2023 season with a torn Achilles tendon, also suffered early in camp. Patrick had — after the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers released him in 2017 — worked his way from the Broncos’ practice squad to a prominent role in the offense over the next four seasons.
Patrick, 30, has 143 receptions for 2,009 yards and 12 touchdowns in 55 career games.
The Lions were interested in Patrick after releasing veterans Donovan Peoples-Jones and Daurice Fountain, both of whom were big-time receivers who failed to fully break through during training camp and the preseason. Patrick provides depth and could be a valuable role player in the offense.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said it would be “a luxury to have” a bigger receiver on the roster to add a versatile option.
“It helps, and I think a lot of it is because in those one-on-ones, you’re like, ‘OK, you don’t always have to be in those one-on-ones. You can just go out there and it’s one-on-one and if you like the game, who cares if he’s in a hurry? Our guy’s going to beat your guy,’” Campbell said Monday. “And (Lions QB Jared) Goff is put in a position where he can play the rebound, he can play like a big guy in the paint and on the block and he’s going to make a play for you.”
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold and Eric Woodyard contributed to this report.
