It turns out that wide receiver Greg Dortch wasn’t going to be the replacement for Kalif Raymond with the Detroit Lions after all, as the club made him one of their surprising roster cuts ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Dortch, who previously played with the Arizona Cardinals under now-current Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, was cut by the club and subsequently scooped up to the practice squad of the Buffalo Bills, whom Detroit happens to play in Week 2 of the upcoming campaign.
Needless to say, Dortch’s release caught many off guard, and he himself admitted as much. Meanwhile, Lions general manager Brad Holmes met with media members on Wednesday morning, and, in part, explained the reasoning behind the move.
Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes Explains Why WR Greg Dortch Was Released
The Lions retained Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa and Tay Martin, while placing Tom Kennedy, Lucky Jackson and Dominic Lovett on the practice squad.
In the words of Holmes, Dortch was simply outplayed by the competition he faced in Training Camp.
“We wanted to add as much competition as possible this whole offseason,” Holmes said. “Look, when you add as much competition as possible, it was fierce competition; it adds more discomfort, (and) it also entails harder decisions. That’s really all it was. (Dortch) was just part of that competition, and unfortunately it just didn’t work out. So, that’s why we made the move we made.”
“Four (receivers) is obviously a little bit on the lighter side. That’s just where we’re at right now, today, currently,” Holmes continued. “But I do like the different flavors in that room. Obviously, we all know St. Brown and Jamo and TeSlaa. I know (TeSlaa) dropped a couple balls in a preseason game, but I thought he a had a good camp, too. Just the little things that he does in the run game, which, those aren’t little things actually, those are really big things that he does in the run game. I thought that he improved with his route running, his releases, all those things.”
Dortch had been signed by the Lions to a one-year, $1.4 million contract with $1.075 million guaranteed.
The Lions play the Bills in Week 2 of the upcoming season, and will make history by becoming the first opponent hosted by new Highmark Stadium. Whether or not Dortch plays for the Bills in that contest remains to be seen.
Greg Dortch Admitted He Was Caught Off Guard By Lions Release
Dortch, who arrived in Buffalo shortly after being signed to the practice squad, admitted that he was caught off-guard by the news that Detroit had released him.
“It kind of caught me off guard,” Dortch said, via Syracuse.com’s Matt Parrino. “I didn’t think I would be put in that position.”
“Once again, I’m really just grateful. Thankful to be here. Having the opportunity to just play football, to be honest with you. Like I said, eight years in, undrafted guy. Grateful.”
So far in his NFL career, Dortch has accumulated 1,310 receiving yards on 145 receptions with 10 receiving touchdowns.
Lions GM Brad Holmes Breaks Silence On Surprise Roster Cut