The Detroit Lions have been hard at work this offseason in an effort to get themselves back on track after missing the playoffs entirely in 2025. Head coach Dan Campbell has revamped his coaching staff, and the front office has done well to address several areas of need that flared up last year.
One spot that hasn’t needed much help is the wide receiver position, but that didn’t stop Detroit from taking a shot on Kentucky Wildcats star Kendrick Law in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. While there was a lot of excitement to see what Law would be able to do as a rookie, he has suffered a devastating injury, according to Campbell.
Dan Campbell Reveals Kendrick Law Suffered a Torn ACL
Detroit has one of the better one-two punches at wide receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, with the hope being that Isaac TeSlaa can emerge as the No. 3 option after a promising rookie season. Veterans like Greg Dortch and Cedrick Wilson Jr. also will factor into the mix, but it looked like there was going to be an opportunity for Law to make the team’s initial 53-man roster.
Law spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career with the Alabama Crimson Tide, but after playing sparingly, he transferred to Kentucky for the 2025 season. While his numbers weren’t outrageous (53 REC, 540 YDS, 3 TD in 12 games), Law did enough to put himself on the radar of teams across the NFL ahead of the draft.
While nothing is guaranteed for you when you are a fifth-round draft pick, the Lions were excited to see what Law could do as a rookie. Unfortunately, the team will have to wait to see what it has in Law, as Campbell revealed he has suffered a torn ACL that will force him to miss the entire 2026 campaign.
“It’s part of it,” Campbell said solemnly when discussing Law’s injury status. “It’s a harsh reality, but he’ll get it out of the way early, have his whole career in front of him. But I hate to start with that, it’s a bit of a negative.”
Lions May Need to Reinforce Wide Receiver Depth After Kendrick Law Injury
GettyLions’ head coach Dan Campbell revealed that rookie wide receiver Kendrick Law will miss the entire 2026 campaign with a torn ACL
Anytime a player suffers a season-ending injury before the season has even gotten underway, it’s a crushing development. To make matters worse for Law, though, he will have to wait at least a full year for his NFL career to get underway, and in the process, Detroit’s plans at the wide receiver position have taken a hit.
The Lions are still probably set at wide receiver for the time being, but they could look to add another depth option for their training camp action. In the meantime, Law will look to undergo surgery and kickstart his long and arduous rehab process, with the hope being that he will be good to go by training camp next year.
Lions’ Dan Campbell Shares Brutal Injury News on Rookie Wide Receiver Amid OTAs