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Tim Patrick's comeback bid with the Denver Broncos came to a bitter yet unsurprising end, as the team officially moved on from the adversity-stricken wide receiver on Tuesday. He did not have long to process the disappointment, however, with the Detroit Lions immediately pouncing on the new free agent.
Patrick is expected to sign with their practice squad, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The 30-year-old devastatingly suffered season-ending injuries in each of the previous two summers, tearing his ACL and Achilles, respectively.
He returned to the Broncos this year and even caught a touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Bo Nix in a 27-2 win versus the Green Bay Packers, but management is no longer including him in its plans. Ironically, former Lions WR Josh Reynolds is one of the players whose presence left little room for Patrick to earn a spot on Denver's depth chart. Second-year receiver Marvin Mims Jr. and rookies Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele are also taking priority.
Now, Patrick will have the opportunity to eventually enter Detroit's WR room. A consistent NFL role remains an unlikely prospect, but given what this man has endured just to get this far, he will likely embrace his new challenge in the Motor City.
Tim Patrick hopes for a fresh start with Lions
The former Utah standout came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent and spent extremely brief stints with the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. He caught his big break with the Broncos, proceeding to provide viable production despite suspect quarterback play. Tim Patrick recorded 143 catches for 2,009 yards and 12 touchdowns in 55 games with the team.
If he can work his way up to the active roster, the San Diego, California native will play in his first NFL regular season game since Jan. 8, 2021. For what it's worth, Patrick made his last one count, posting a 10-reception, 95-yard outing versus the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Lions are not expecting him to fill up the stat sheet for them, they clearly see the potential contributions he can bring to their offense.
With usual NFC powerhouse San Fran still mired in roster uncertainty less than two weeks before opening kickoff, Detroit could emerge as a Super Bowl favorite. That means the Tim Patrick comeback story could theoretically culminate in the most epic way imaginable.
There is a ton that has to happen before such hypothetical scenarios become reality, but it would be incredibly poetic for one of the NFL's most embattled franchises to share in redemption with this injury-ravaged athlete.
