The relentless injury bug that wreaked havoc on the Detroit Lions the last few seasons arrived early this year. Even before training camp, the Lions just lost a newcomer for the season. Head coach Dan Campbell announced on Thursday that the team's fifth-round pick, Kendrick Law, suffered an ACL tear and will be sidelined for this entire rookie campaign.
This is a devastating development for the 22-year-old wide receiver. He was hoping to make the 53-man roster, and the team was speaking highly of his potential. Now, this will set him back, and he will surely face an uphill battle to prove his worth to the Lions next season.
Lions sign UDFA WR after Kendrick Law's season-ending injury
This opened up a depth spot in the WR depth chart, and the Lions acted quickly to fill it. Shortly after the news broke, the Lions announced the signing of receiver Kyre Duplessis to the 90-man roster.
Duplessis was an undrafted free agent after playing four years at Coastal Carolina and a season at Delaware. His production in Coastal Carolina was extremely underwhelming before he broke out in 2025. He finished the season with 60 catches for 824 yards and five touchdowns. He returned three punts and scored a touchdown on one, and added two kick returns.
The 5'10", 185-pound wide receiver is somewhat of a black box, but Erik Schlitt of the Pride of Detroit noted a few things that stand out in his profile. He played around 90% of his snaps on the outside, but with his size and 4.6 speed, that seems unlikely in the NFL. Schlitt said that he "was utilized as a yards-after-the-catch option" and deployed in quick slants, sideline shots, and snaps out of the backfield.
Drew Petzing and Dan Campbell will surely think of ways to best utilize him, but Duplessis' best way to get on the field may be on special teams.
The Lions have solid depth in the WR room. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Isaac TeSlaa are the sure-fire starters, and Detroit brought in veteran Greg Dortch to be the Kalif Raymond replacement. Another experienced playmaker, Cedrick Wilson, is now more likely to make the final roster. There is also Dominic Lovett, who is looking for an expanded role in his second season in the league.
The odds of Duplessis making the cut are obviously low. If he can impress throughout the summer, however, he can carve out a spot for himself on the practice squad.
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