The Detroit Lions have a lot of tough decisions to make on their roster ahead of the 2025 season. Roster cut-down day is on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, and there will be a lot of movement around the league.
Preseason gave players the chance to stand out to the coaching staff in order to make the roster, and rookie receiver Jackson Meeks has done that.
Lions WR Jackson Meeks Looks Like a Steal
Meeks was undrafted and signed a three-year, $2.985 million deal with Detroit this spring. Despite having Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams as the top WRs on the team, nothing is locked in after those guys.
Isaac TeSlaa has also stood out as a rookie, but Meeks made sure to do everything in his power to stay on the roster. In the preseason, Meeks was tied for eighth in the league in catches (11), second in receiving yards (176), and tied for third in receiving yards (2). According to Pro Football Focus, Meeks had the highest offense grade on the team (85.8).
He has shown the ability to make plays in the passing attack, and head coach Dan Campbell said he's taken notice of his play.
Last season at Syracuse, Meeks finished with 78 catches for 1,021 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. While that was his breakout season in college, he has transferred that over to the pros thus far.
Tom Kennedy, Malik Taylor, Ronnie Bell, Jakobie Keeney-James, and Dominic Lovett are the other WRs on the fringe. Training camp and the preseason gave everyone the shot to stick out, but it seems like Meeks is the one who took advantage the most.
If the Lions do release Meeks, they are risking for another team claiming him on waivers. What he put on tape this summer has likely put him on the radar for other teams in the NFL.
Regardless, the Lions seemed to have found themselves a steal in the undrafted free agent market, and his production this summer likely locked down a spot on the 53-man roster. The regular season is a different beast, but if any injury happens, Meeks could be a player the Lions lean on to step up to fill in the gaps.