The Detroit Lions added a new player at running back and tight end Tuesday. To do so, they created the necessary roster space by moving on from former Tulane wide receiver Lawrence Keys III.
According to the NFL transaction wire, the Lions waived Keys on Tuesday. The team then signed running back Raheem Blackshear and tight end Zach Horton.
Keys is a former 2024 undrafted free agent. When he entered the NFL, he received tremendous praise for his speed.
“Keys has blistering speed with a 10.3 seconds timed in the 100 meters and 4.35 in the 40-yard dash,” wrote Rene Nadeau of Crescent City Sports. “He is a punt returner extraordinaire who also has a good catching radius as a receiver. Keys makes acrobatic catches, excels on crossing routes and blows past single coverage.”
Keys began his college career at Notre Dame. From 2019-21, the wideout posted 18 catches for 185 yards.
After transferring to Tulane, Keys received a better opportunity to showcase his speed. In 23 games for the Green Wave, he averaged 14.2 yards per reception. Keys registered 63 catches, 895 receiving yards and nine touchdowns over two seasons.
Lions Cut WR Lawrence Keys III
GettyThe Detroit Lions released former Tulane wide receiver Lawrence Keys on Tuesday.
The Lions elected to make a change on offense Tuesday. They brought in Blackshear at running back and Horton at tight end while sacrificing receiver depth.
Without Keys, the Lions now have 10 receivers on their training camp roster. They include Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Tay Martin, Dominic Lovett, Tom Kennedy, Lucky Jackson, Greg Dortch and Malik Cunningham.
With that group in mind, Keys was a long shot to make the roster. Now he will have to try to latch on with another team for a new opportunity.
Keys began his professional career with the Buffalo Bills two years ago. The Bills released the wideout, though, in late August during 2024. At the time, Keys had a leg injury.
His next NFL opportunity didn’t come until with the Lions this year. In between, Keys played for the Houston Gamblers in the UFL.
During the 2026 UFL season, Keys posted 1,001 all-purpose yards. That was second most in the league.
A majority of those yards came on special teams. Keys registered 24 catches and 349 receiving yards with two touchdowns.
The wideout was then one of several UFL players to sign with an NFL team on June 18.
Lions New Depth at RB, TE
GettyHead coach Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions added two new playmakers to their roster Tuesday.
Ten wide receivers is on the lighter side when it comes to training camp roster size at wideout. But the Lions roster can now boast about seven tight ends and seven running backs.
That could give the team difficult decisions to make at those skilled positions. It will also make things a bit hard at those spots in the preseason. The Lions have three exhibition contests to spread the ball around to seven running backs and seven tight ends.
Of course, the team knows what it has in starters Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta. Isiah Pacheco, Sione Vaki, and Brock Wright are locks to make the roster as well.
The preseason will be about the Lions discovering who else to retain at running back and tight end.
In the backfield, the team possesses Kye Robinchaux, Jacob Saylors, and Jabari Small with Blackshear. At tight end, the Lions have Thomas Gordon, Miles Kitselman, Jackson Meeks, and Nick Muse to go with Horton.
Lions Cut Ties With Speedy Wide Receiver