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.
Dortch is a 5'7 speedster who operates mostly out of the slot. In 12 games last season, he caught 29 of 33 targets for 206 yards and three touchdowns. He missed the final five games due to a chest injury.
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 last year 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, and the chance to reunite with Petzing, is what lured Dortch to Detroit.
"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. As well as 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 a call from Detroit that they were interested, it was no better fit."
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, Jameson 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.