The Lions are in the process of cutting their roster down to 53 player by Tuesday afternoon.
Over the next 24 hours, there will be several notifications about players being released, and most won’t be surprising. However, on Monday, one player’s release on Monday surprised many.
Wide receiver Jackson Meeks, who was an undrafted free agent signing after the 2025 NFL Draft, was waived according to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. Bianchi believes the team will add him to the practice squad if he clears waivers.
However, there is no guarantee Meeks clears waivers. In fact, it’s probably likely that Meeks doesn’t claim waivers after the summer he had.
Meeks first began impressing earlier this summer during training camp. The Syracuse product made the most of his opportunities and showed off his crisp route-running ability and sure hands.
During the preseason, Meeks saw action in three games and caught 11 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. The rookie finished second in the NFL in receiving yards this preseason and finished tied for fourth in most catches. As a result, many expected Meeks to claim one of the final receiver spots for the Lions. Instead, Meeks will either land on different roster or on the Lions’ practice squad.
Meeks wasn’t the only receiver to be cut by the Lions Monday. The team also cut Tom Kennedy, who’s been on and off the roster since 2019. This means the final receiver spot will likely go to seventh-round rookie Dominic Lovett.
Overall, the Lions cut the following players on Monday:
- Linebacker Anthony Pittman
- Wide receiver Tom Kennedy
- Quarterback Hendon Hooker
- Edge rusher Mitchell Agude
- Safety Ian Kennelly
- Offensive tackle Dan Skipper
- Wide receiver Jackson Meeks
- Safety Erick Hallett
- Running back Deon Jackson
- Defensive tackle Myles Adams
- Edge rusher Nate Lynn
- Defensive tackle Brodric Martin
- Cornerback Nick Whiteside
Before becoming an undrafted free agent standout, Meeks excelled at Syracuse. The receiver caught 78 passes for 1,021 yards and seven touchdowns during his final collegiate season and was a key part of one of the most high-powered offenses in the ACC.
Meeks was expected to be drafted, but the receiver ended up not hearing his name called. The receiver landed a $20,000 bonus from the Lions and will now try to latch on elsewhere before the season begins.
Several teams around the league need more depth at the receiver spot. If the Lions are able to sneak him through waivers, though, Meeks could eventually be promoted back to the roster later this season and make an impact.
