The Detroit Lions continue to add auxiliary pieces to their roster during the second week of free agency, and on Wednesday, they signed speedy slot receiver and punt/kick returner Greg Dortch. With strong ties to new Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, Dortch was a common player projected to the Lions as a Kalif Raymond replacement, and he is expected to fill a similar role in 2026.
Origin story
At 5-foot-7, 175 pounds, Dortch is one of the smaller players in the NFL, and in high school, that size led to only a few scholarship offers from Division 1 colleges, despite his elusiveness. He opted for an opportunity at Wake Forest and found himself in the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman. Dortch started every game on offense for the Demon Deacons and was recognized as an All-American return specialist.
Dortch made the uncommon decision to enter the 2019 NFL Draft after his redshirt sophomore season, a move that made his path challenging for the next few years. Dortch went undrafted and signed with the Jets, but failed to make their initial roster and signed to their practice squad. The Panthers signed him from the Jets’ practice squad, but he only played in two games, and a month later, he was released by Carolina. He quickly joined the Rams’ practice squad and signed a futures contract, but he was released ahead of 2020 training camp. He didn’t play for most of 2020—the NFL’s COVID restrictions complicated things even further for him—but eventually joined the Falcons practice squad in late December, then parlayed that into another futures deal. Unfortunately, he was waived in June, once again.
After not playing in 2020, Dortch was encouraged by his agent to explore options in the Canadian Football League. Just two days before he was set to head to the CFL, the Cardinals offered him a tryout, and he joined the team for training camp. Dortch would end up on the Cardinals’ practice squad for most of 2021, but was called up to the active roster in December. The following season, Dortch stuck with the Cardinals and contributed in every game, including starting four games on offense and taking on a starting punt and kick return duties.
In 2023, the Cardinals underwent a coaching staff change, and new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing shifted Dortch into a more natural slot role and allowed him to maintain his starting returner roles. Dortch would stay in these roles for the next three seasons.
Over his NFL career, Dortch has played in 68 games and has 17 starts on offense to his name. He has 191 receptions for 1340 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Under Petzing, Dortch’s PFF grades have been on the plus side of average but never above average. As a returner, Dortch has recorded 99 career punt returns, averaging 8.9 yards per return, but is coming off a season where he averaged a career-high 11.6 yards per return and an 83.7 returner grade from PFF. He has attempted 75 career kick returns and averages 23.6 yards per return, including a 26.2 average in 2025.
Why Detroit made sense
When contemplating his options during the 2026 free agency period—his first as an unrestricted player—Dortch jumped at the opportunity to sign with the Lions. Not only was there an immediate opening following Kalif Raymond’s departure, but Dortch also loved the opportunity to reunite with Petzing, a coach he believes understands how to deploy him.
“It was a big reason. Obviously, just the comfort factor. The trust and the success that I’ve had with him being my OC the three years together. Drew is very smart and knows exactly how to get people the ball,” Dortch explained to the Lions media on why Petzing drew him to Detroit.
Dortch also believes that his ability to overcome the obstacles he faced throughout his football career has made him into the exact type of player who will fit in with the Lions’ culture.
“Detroit fits who I am as a man,” Dortch said. “The grit, the toughness, the getting it out of the mud. That’s just me. That’s my whole story, and when I got a call from Detroit that they were interested, it was no better fit.”
Expected role in 2026
Dortch is expected to assume the Kalif Raymond WR4/returner role in 2026, and while stylistically he’s a similar player, he doesn’t possess the elite speed that Raymond has. Don’t get me wrong, Dortch is certainly faster than his 40-yard dash time (4.59)would suggest, but his game is based on quickness and YAC toughness. Raymond was also an established two-time second-team All-Pro returner, while Dortch is still developing into a consistent weapon on special teams. He is coming off his best season as a returner and believes that his confidence on the field is at an all-time high.
“My confidence. Going into year eight in the NFL, it’s about having confidence on the field,” Dortch told the Lions media on Wednesday. “There’s a lot of guys who get out there and have been drafted early, or they’ve been predicted to play early, but they don’t believe they belong on the field. But I do, I truly do. And you can see that in my play. I’m willing to take chances, take risks. You have to be willing to take risks as a punt returner because you have 11 guys running full speed, trying to take your head off. But I believe in myself, and it’s easy for me to go out there and play with passion and energy.”
While Dortch is penciled into the WR4 role, he’ll have to fend off challengers.
The Lions acquired Dominic Lovett in last year’s draft and kept him on the 53-man roster all season, despite not playing, for a reason. He’s a closer match to Raymond athletically, but he still needs to prove himself on the football field. Tom Kennedy has returned to the Lions for his 20th eighth season, and his late-season special teams evolution could open the door for him to have a larger role on the team overall.
Free agency impact
With eight wide receivers on the current roster, the Lions could certainly be in the market to add another skill player or two on a veteran minimum contract with little to no guarantees. However, with the Lions’ current preference for acquiring younger players, options may be limited and point more toward them looking to the NFL Draft and UDFA market.
If you’re looking for a name that fits the current pattern, then keep an eye on Elijah Moore. However, I do wonder how fascinated Lions general manager Brad Holmes is by Deebo Samuel, given his previous attempt to acquire him in a trade.
NFL draft impact
With Dortch (and Lovett) in the fold, acquiring a wide receiver or kick returner is no longer a pressing need for the Lions. However, this could still be a long-term need for the team, and if an opportunity of value presents itself, Holmes has shown he’s not afraid to create a bloodbath of competition on the roster.
Like most drafts of late, this class is loaded at receiver, and there are several speedy pass catchers who can also contribute as kick returners in this class that will likely slide into the middle to late rounds of this draft. Some of my favorites include Josh Cameron (Baylor), Eric Rivers (Georgia Tech), Kaden Wetjen (Iowa), Zavion Thomas (LSU), and Barion Brown (LSU).
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