After a long offseason, the Detroit Lions and the rest of the NFL have returned to the field for the annual training camp. For the Lions, it’s the latest step to recovery for a team that finished 15-2 one year ago but lost in the divisional round of the playoffs to the Washington Commanders. While most players on that team are back for another run this year, some Lions couldn’t hang around long enough to be part of it and watched last year’s season from their couch.
That includes a former Lions playmaker who served a lengthy suspension before being reinstated before last season. After a lengthy absence, he’s made multiple attempts to return to the league and earned a surprising opportunity with a fellow NFC contender.
Former Lions WR Quintez Cephus Gets Tryout With 49ers
According to Josh Dubow of the Associated Press, former Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus was one of six wide receivers brought in by the San Francisco 49ers for a tryout this week.
#49ers brought in 6 WRs for tryouts per league transactions wire:
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) July 21, 2025
Quintez Cephus
Grant DuBose
Ramel Keyton
Stanley Morgan
Brandon Powell
Equanimeous St. Brown
QB Spencer Petras also was brought in for a tryout
Cephus was a fifth-round pick by the Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft, catching 37 passes for 568 yards and four touchdowns in his first three seasons, but he hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2022 season after he was suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy.
Cephus missed the entire 2023 season due to the suspension and latched on with several practice squads after being reinstated in April of 2024. The 27-year-old spent time with the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, and Los Angeles Rams but was released by the Rams this spring, leaving him without a team as training camps open.
The 49ers may present the opportunity that Cephus needs. San Francisco’s receiver room is in flux as Brandon Aiyuk recovers from a torn ACL and MCL, and free agent pickup Demarcus Robinson is facing a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
The drama continued as Jauan Jennings requested a trade and Ricky Pearsall opened camp on the physically unable to perform list last week, leaving little depth behind fourth-round rookie Jordan Watkins and 2024 fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing.
It’s unlikely that Cephus will crack the 49ers and become a key contributor, as Pearsall is expected to come off the PUP list soon. But just landing in an NFL training camp would be a major development for a player who is looking to revive his career.