The Detroit Lions are set to open the season against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon but one of the areas where they have questions is at the receiver position. While Detroit has the look of a Super Bowl contender, depth is a question at wideout as the questions behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are beginning to mount.
The Lions thought they were clearing the room when they traded Tim Patrick to the Jacksonville Jaguars but things got messy when Isaac TeSlaa missed practice earlier this week due to an illness. While TeSlaa is expected back soon, it’s a reminder how quickly the Lions depth can evaporate and should lead their eyes toward the free agent market.
Free agent WR Kendrick Bourne has elected to sit this week out and weigh his options over the weekend and see which team is the best fit, source said. He recently visited the #Commanders and #49ers. pic.twitter.com/oviuiplEnY
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 3, 2025
Lions Should Consider Signing WR Kendrick Bourne After Week 1
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted on Wednesday that recently released wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has elected to sit out in Week 1 and weigh his options over the weekend. Rapoport was told by a source that his goal is to observe over the opening week and see which team is the best fit.
While Bourne recently visited the Washington Commanders and San Francisco 49ers, with the latter even offering a deal, the vet's opted to remain a free agent. This shows Bourne being picky about his next home, which opens the door for Detroit to swoop in and save him.
Williams, St. Brown and TeSlaa occupy the first three spots on the depth chart. Yet, Detroit has depth receiver Kalif Raymond and seventh-round pick Dominic Lovett as the next players on deck. If one of the top three goes down like TeSlaa did momentarily this week, it could put the Lions in a bind.
That’s where Bourne could come into play. While he hasn’t had massive production, he’s still an eight-year veteran that has caught 292 passes for 3,714 yards and 22 touchdowns during his career. He also has experience on a Super Bowl team after going to the big game as a member of the 49ers in 2019 and could provide the same veteran role that Patrick did last season.
It’s unknown whether that would be enough to push the Lions to sign him, but it’s something to keep on their radar as they open the year with big expectations. This is a high-powered offense that's more than capable of feeding multiple contributors, so it'd be a great spot for Bourne to improve his stock, especially if the year ends with a Super Bowl ring.