The Detroit Lions didn’t keep wide receiver Lawrence Keys III long enough to see him in play in their first 2026 preseason game. But he might be a candidate to rejoin the club.
According to the NFL transaction wire, the Lions held a tryout for Keys on Tuesday. The receiver was back in Detroit after the team waived him on August 5.
The Lions waived Keys with an injury settlement during the first week of August.
A former 2024 undrafted free agent, the wideout received significant praise for his speed when he entered the league.
“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.”
Lawrence Keys III Gets Tryout With Lions
The Lions have a three-headed monster with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa at receiver. But NFL teams will rarely give up the opportunity to add raw outside speed.
As long as he’s healthy, Keys can provide that. Although the Lions have yet to re-sign Keys, perhaps the tryout was about the third-year receiver showing the rehab progress he’s made since his injury in early August.
Keys began his professional career with the Buffalo Bills two years ago. The Bills released the wideout, though, in late August during 2024. At that time, Keys also had an injury.
Between his stints with the Bills and Lions, the wideout played for the Houston Gamblers of the UFL. He had 1,001 all-purpose yards for the Gamblers during the 2026 UFL season.
At the college level, Keys began at Notre Dame. But he didn’t play much, posting 18 catches for 185 yards in 21 games from 2019-21.
The receiver registered 63 receptions, 895 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 23 games at Tulane from 2022-23. In his final college season for the Green Wave, Keys had 33 catches, 599 receiving yards and seven scores. He averaged 18.2 yards per catch.
Keys originally joined the Lions on June 18.
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