Last season, the Detroit Lions struggled to solidify their third starting wide receiver in training camp. The competition between Antoine Green, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Daurice Fountain yielded no clear winner, leaving the team searching for a solution among other roster cuts.
That’s when former Broncos receiver Tim Patrick landed in their laps, and the move turned out to be a great fit. While the Lions didn’t rely on him for a heavy target share—he saw just 44 targets over 16 games—he played a crucial role in the offense. He provided Jared Goff with a big-bodied target and contributed as a dependable blocker in the run game.
Last season, Patrick signed with Detroit on a veteran minimum contract ($1.125 million) due to his injury history. It was an incredible value for a starting-caliber player at a key position. This year, after re-signing, he’s getting a pay raise but remains an excellent bargain for the Lions.
Initially reported as a one-year deal worth up to $4 million, Patrick’s actual contract is a one-year, $2.5 million agreement. Here’s a closer look at the details.
Since the deal was first described as being worth “up to” $4 million, it’s likely that $1.5 million of it comes from performance-based incentives. While no specifics have been reported yet, these incentives are typically tied to production, playing time, postseason recognition, or team success.
Beyond that, the contract is fairly straightforward. Patrick receives a fully guaranteed base salary (set at the veteran minimum) along with a signing bonus that effectively doubles his earnings. Since Detroit wouldn’t save any cap space by releasing him, he isn’t completely locked in, but there’s little reason to move on from him.
Looking at the Lions’ entire wide receiver group, the team is getting great value across the board.
Amon-Ra St. Brown: $13.91 million — 16th among WRs in 2025
Kalif Raymond: $6.38 million — 38th
Jameson Williams: $5.6 million — 40th
Tim Patrick: $2.5 million — 74th
Despite these individual bargains, Detroit ranks 10th in spending at the wide receiver position, allocating over $31.5 million in cap space. That’s justified, though, considering they have two potential top-20 receivers and an All-Pro return specialist.