Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is bringing a weapon with him from Arizona -- one that special teams coordinator Dave Fipp will like.
The Lions have signed wide receiver and return man Greg Dortch to a one-year deal, per ESPN. Dortch spent the past five seasons with the Cardinals, where Petzing was offensive coordinator from 2023-25, "and obviously, he trusts me," Dortch said Wednesday in a conversation with Detroit media. "To have the opportunity to team up with him again, I'm excited."
Dortch is a 5'7 speedster who operates mostly out of the slot, and does most of his damage after the catch. In 12 games last season (he missed the final five due to a chest injury), he caught 29 of 33 targets for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Asked what makes him stand out from other receivers in the league, Dortch described himself as "a guy who's not afraid to catch the ball and get hit. Something that I pride myself on is getting YAC."
"Once I get the ball in my hands, I'm not just trying to get a first down or a couple yards," he said. "I'm trying to go the distance. I think that's what sets me apart."
Indeed, among receivers with at least 30 targets last season, Dortch was tied for seventh in the NFL -- with his new teammate Jameson Williams -- in yards after catch per reception (6.9). He ranked fifth in that category in 2024 and ninth in 2023.
Dortch is also a quality return man who will help the Lions replace what they lost in Kalif Raymond, who signed with the Bears. Dortch averaged a career-best 11.6 yards on 16 punt returns last season -- Raymond averaged 7.5, his lowest with the Lions -- and 26.2 yards on 31 kick returns. He attributes his breakout as a punt returner to a higher level of confidence at this stage of his career.
"I believe in myself, and you can see that in my play, man. I take chances. I take risks. You gotta take risks as a punt returner when you got 11 guys running full speed trying to take your head off. I believe in myself and I love football, so it's nothing for me to go out there to play with passion and energy."
When Raymond departed, it appeared that 2025 seventh-round pick Dominic Lovett was slated to step into the void on offense and special teams, but it looks like Raymond's role will be filled mostly by Dortch. That opportunity is what lured Dortch to Detroit, along with the chance to reunite with Petzing.
"The success that I've had with him being my OC, the three years together, Drew is very smart. He knows exactly how to get people the ball. And (with) Kalif Raymond taking another job somewhere else, I saw that the spot was vacant," Dortch said. "Man, Detroit fits who I am as a man -- the grit, the toughness, the getting it out of the mud. That's me. That's my whole story. And when I got the call that Detroit was interested, it was no better fit."
Dortch's resume belies the obstacles he faced along the way. His story reads more like Raymond's, overlooked at every level until he latched on with the right team in the NFL. Coming out of high school, "not a lot of people wanted me," said Dortch. He wound up at Wake Forest, had two prolific seasons and left early for the NFL, "and a lot of people told me that it was a bad decision." He went undrafted, and got cut by the Jets, Panthers and Rams in his first year in the league.
"Just not a lot of people really believing in what I can do as a player," Dortch said.
In some ways, even his former agent. When Dortch was cut by his fourth team, the Falcons, in the 2021 offseason, that agent told him to "take the CFL route" to rebuild his stock. Dortch didn't love the idea, but realized he might not have another choice. A couple days before he was set to make the transition, Dortch got a call about a training camp tryout with the Cardinals.
"I ended up making the team, and I spent five years in Arizona," he said. "It's just like, when you feel like you want to quit, don't quit. Just keep pushing."
Raymond, who found a home with the Lions the same year that Dortch earned a spot with the Cardinals, is entering his age-32 season. He had a great run in Detroit, a terrific teammate and gusty player who will remembered as one of the first success stories under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes. But his game didn't have quite the same pop last year, and the Lions decided to move on. They found a younger, likely cheaper version of Raymond in Dortch, who's entering his age-28 season.
"It's been a journey, man, and the reason why I'm still here, I'm still standing today is because I love the game and I believe in myself," said Dortch.
A seven-year vet, Dortch has significant experience on special teams, with 99 punt returns and 75 kick returns over his career. Last season was his most productive one yet. He also played a steady role on offense over his final four seasons with the Cardinals, averaging about 47 targets and 35 catches per year -- almost exactly what Raymond averaged over his five seasons with the Lions.
But it will be harder for Dortch to carve out a role in a crowded offense in Detroit, with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Williams, Sam LaPorta, Isaac TeSlaa and Jahmyr Gibbs already positioned as the team's top five pass catchers. With the same mouths to feed last year, Raymond caught 24 of 30 targets for 289 yards and a touchdown.
"In the NFL, opportunities come and go. It's about what you do with the opportunities when they come, and I've done that up to this point in my career," Dortch said. "But man, I'm about winning. I'm about winning ball. It's not about if I had 10 catches, it's about if the team won. I'm joining a great organization, a great team, a great locker room, and I'm excited to be here."