As the calendar flips from June into July and camp gets closer, one of the quieter roster fights in Detroit is starting to come into focus. The Lions’ wide receiver room has been reshaped, and in the middle of all that movement, Tom Kennedy has a real chance to sneak onto the 53-man roster.
Detroit has already done plenty of sorting at the position. The team brought in a quartet of UFL receivers to help fill the void left by Kyre Duplessis and an injured Kendrick Law at the end of organized team activities.
Law, a fifth-round pick this year, will miss the season. The Lions also added Greg Dortch and Cedrick Wilson Jr. before training camp.
That leaves Kennedy back in the mix with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, Dominic Lovett and Malik Cunningham.
St. Brown, Williams and TeSlaa look locked in.
Dortch appears likely to have a role as a return man. So the real squeeze comes when Detroit starts sorting out spots five and six, which is probably where the Lions will land when roster cuts arrive.
Kennedy’s case is built on familiarity, reliability and a little bit of staying power. He’s been around this organization since before the Dan Campbell-Brad Holmes era really took hold, having been picked up in 2019. He finally caught his first NFL pass for the Lions in 2021, and after 14 catches between 2021 and 2022, he went without another reception until last fall.
But Kennedy has kept himself in the conversation by doing the little things Detroit values. He’s earned praise for being ready whenever his number is called, and his resilience and grit fit the foundation Campbell has tried to build in Detroit.
He also brings return value, which matters here. Kennedy gave the Lions a spark with four catches and added a career-long 42-yard kick return in 2025.
With Kalif Raymond now in Chicago, Kennedy has another path to the roster as a return option alongside Dortch or Jacob Saylors. That kind of versatility gives him a real shot, even if the competition is stiff.
Cedrick Wilson Jr. has the kind of resume that keeps him in the mix, including a 600-yard season in 2021 and at least 10 games played in every year since 2020. Lovett is also a name to watch after appearing in 12 games as a rookie without drawing a target, a setup that suggests a bigger role could be coming.
The UFL additions matter too, but it’s difficult to see that group jumping Kennedy, especially with his command of the playbook. Cunningham likely sits behind him as well, since his one game played in 2025 came with Kennedy ahead of him on the depth chart.
Kennedy has been through plenty of transactions and has played 30 games for Detroit, but he has only made the initial 53-man roster once, back in 2021. Five years later, “Touchdown” Tom Kennedy may be on the verge of doing it again.
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