The 2025 preseason is now over for the Detroit Lions, and the team is likely thrilled to start preparing for Week 1.
The Lions and Chargers played in the Hall of Fame Game, so both teams ended up playing four preseason games while everyone else played three. The preseason finale for the Lions on Saturday also did not go well.
In the game against the Texans, the Lions struggled to get anything going on offense. Hendon Hooker performed poorly again and likely cemented that he will not be on the roster. The Lions totaled under 200 yards of offense on the day and lost 26-7.
While the Lions had a couple of ugly games in this preseason, it wasn’t all bad. Several key players performed well and made strong cases to make the roster, and a couple of undrafted free agents have stood out as well.
Eric Woodyard of ESPN recently finalized his 53-man roster projection for the Lions. Woodyard has the Lions keeping undrafted wide receiver Jackson Meeks around after the Syracuse product impressed this summer.
“Meeks, undrafted out of Syracuse, has likely earned a spot in a talented room after a strong preseason in which he logged 171 receiving yards and two touchdowns over games against Atlanta and Miami,” said Woodyard.
As Woodyard said, Meeks had a couple of big performances in the preseason and impressed with his route-running ability and sure hands.
Looking at the Lions’ receivers, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, Kalif Raymond, and Tim Patrick are likely locks to make the roster. If the team keeps just six, the final spot should be between Dominic Lovett and Meeks.
However, Woodyard has Lovett and Meeks both making the team which means the Lions hold onto seven receivers. Lovett was also productive in the preseason and adds some special teams value.
Meeks was a player who many thought would be drafted. Ultimately, though, the receiver fell out of the draft and the Lions gave the receiver a $20,000 signing bonus.
In 2024, Meeks played in 13 games for Syracuse and caught 78 passes for 1,021 yards and seven touchdowns. The receiver finished behind only Xavier Restrepo and Ja’Corey Brooks in receiving yards in the ACC last season.
Before his breakout season with the Orange in 2024, Meeks spent the first three seasons of his college career with the Georgia Bulldogs. The receiver played sparingly in Athens, mostly playing on special teams, but he was a part of two championship-winning squads.
