Last year, the Detroit Lions struggled to settle on a third starting receiver in camp. The competition between Antoine Green, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Daurice Fountain didn’t produce a clear winner, forcing the team to look elsewhere.

That’s when former Broncos receiver Tim Patrick became available, and he turned out to be a perfect fit. Though he wasn’t a high-volume target—only 44 targets in 16 games—he played a key role. Patrick provided Jared Goff with a big-bodied receiver and was a solid run blocker.

Patrick played on a veteran-minimum deal in 2024 ($1.125 million) due to past injuries, making him a bargain as a starting receiver. While he’s getting a raise this year after re-signing, his new contract remains a great deal for Detroit.

Initially reported as a one-year deal worth up to $4 million, Patrick’s contract is actually a one-year, $2.5 million agreement. Here’s the breakdown:

Base salary: $1,255,000 (fully guaranteed)

Signing bonus: $1,245,000

Cap hit: $2,500,000

Since the contract was described as worth up to $4 million, it’s safe to assume there are $1.5 million in incentives. These are usually tied to playing time, stats, awards, or team success, but details aren’t available yet.

Structurally, it’s a simple deal. A fully guaranteed base salary at the veteran minimum and a signing bonus that doubles his earnings. Detroit wouldn’t save anything by cutting him, so while he’s not a lock, there’s little reason to move on.

Looking at Detroit’s receivers, the team is getting value across the board.

Amon-Ra St. Brown: $13.91 million —  16th among WRs in 2025

Kalif Raymond: $6.38 million — 38th

Jameson Williams: $5.6 million — 40th

Tim Patrick: $2.5 million — 74th

Despite these individual bargains, the Lions still rank 10th in spending at the position, committing over $31.5 million in cap space to receivers. That makes sense, though, as they have two top-20 receivers and an All-Pro returner.