Lions Predicted to Cut Ties With Veteran WR Who Spent 7 Season in Detroit

For the last seven years, Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy has found a way to stick around.

He has spent parts of six seasons with the Lions, mostly as a member of the practice squad though he did appear in 12 games in 2021. Kennedy has made a minimal impact on the offense during that time, making just 14 receptions for 195 yards and no touchdowns.

But Kennedy’s tenure in Detroit could be coming to an end, with one insider predicting he will fall below the cut line this season.

End of the Line for Tom Kennedy

The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy predicted the Lions would keep only five wide receivers this season, pointing out that they kept six last year but ended up keeping undrafted rookie Isaiah Williams as a healthy scratch for six weeks before ultimately waiving him.

With the Lions rostering only five, there would be no room for Kennedy on the final roster, Pouncy predicted.

USA Today’s Jeff Risdon noted that if the Lions do choose to keep a sixth wide receiver, there would be plenty of competition for the spot with Kennedy just one of a handful of players with a real shot of earning it.

“If the Lions keep six, and that’s another question that can’t be answered yet, who is No. 6?” Risdon wrote. “Rookie Dominic Lovett has missed time recently and hasn’t had the most reliable hands in camp, opening the door for others. Ronnie Bell has surged lately, earning some first-team reps with Patrick out. Jackson Meeks has played well in preseason games and made some plays on special teams, giving the undrafted rookie the underdog outsider’s shot. And there’s always Tom Kennedy, the ultimate roster survivor–and he’s had a pretty good summer, too.”

Even if Kennedy does somehow make the team, finding targets could be another challenge. The team returns with All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown at the top of the depth chart, with Jameson Williams expected to take on an even bigger role after his first 1,000-yard season in 2024.

Rookie Isaac TeSlaa has also turned heads with strong performances in training camp and the preseason, working his way up the depth chart. The Lions also have two reliable receivers in Kalif Raymond, leaving little room for Kennedy — or anyone else who earns the final spot on the roster — to get targets from quarterback Jared Goff.

Tom Kennedy Has Become a Fan Favorite

If the Lions decided to hold a fan vote for the final spot on the roster, Kennedy might have a good chance. He has become a popular player among fans, thanks in part to his unusual story.

As ESPN reported, Kennedy was a two-sport standout at Bryant University, where he played both football and lacrosse. His first foray into professional sports actually came through lacrosse, where he was drafted by the Boston Cannons of the Major League Lacrosse in 2018. When he signed with the Lions in 2019, Kennedy became the first person ever to play in the NFL and a professional lacrosse league.