The Denver Broncos weren't able to find a trade partner for wide receiver Tim Patrick before rosters had to be turned in to the league on Tuesday, but Patrick was able to find himself a new home rather quickly after being released by Denver.
The veteran receiver reportedly signed with the Detroit Lions, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, but there's a slightly shocking twist to this development that I don't think anybody could have seen coming...
Former Broncos WR Tim Patrick signs with Detroit Lions practice squad
A new home: Former Broncos WR Tim Patrick is expected to sign with the Detroit Lions’ practice squad with the idea that he will work his way on to the active roster, per sources. pic.twitter.com/96iA9Z0qCB
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2024
Patrick is signing on with the Detroit Lions on their practice squad, and even with the idea that he will eventually work his way up onto the 53-man roster, this is nothing short of a shocking development.
Essentially, you could say the Broncos and Lions swapped receivers this offseason with Patrick now heading to Detroit after the Broncos plucked Josh Reynolds in free agency earlier this offseason. And from Detroit's perspective, a player like Tim Patrick is kind of the ideal replacement for someone like Josh Reynolds.
Patrick brings tremendous value with his size and blocking ability. He's got strong hands and is a trustworthy target in the red zone and on third downs. On a short-term investment, the Detroit Lions couldn't have asked for much better than this.
It's definitely sad to see Tim Patrick leave the Broncos and it was shocking to hear that the team was planning on cutting him after what he showed in the preseason against the Packers. That was apparently all the Detroit Lions needed to see but it wasn't enough to drum up legitimate trade interest.
Maybe Brad Holmes -- the GM of the Lions -- simply wasn't going to be taken to the cleaners once again by Broncos GM George Paton after the Trinity Benson trade a couple of years back. Or maybe this was Paton's way of repaying him for that somehow.
Either way, Patrick will be suiting up for Detroit this season and we would expect him to be on the active roster sooner rather than later. The NFL's practice squad rules allow teams to keep a handful of veteran players among the 16 total spots, and the Lions are obviously very wisely taking advantage of that while they can. At some point, Patrick will be promoted, but he can essentially serve as an extra active roster player as the Lions can elevate him for their Week 1 game against the Rams if they want.