Former Detroit Lions wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge is signing with the San Francisco 49ers. Hodge spent the 2021 season with the Lions and is now looking to compete against them, as the two teams are in contention to win the NFC this year.
San Francisco 49ers Sign Former Detroit Lions Wide Receiver KhaDarel Hodge
GettyKhaDarel Hodge #4
Hodge is entering his ninth season in the NFL. A UDFA out of Prairie View A&M, Hodge caught on with the Los Angeles Rams. He spent one year with the team and caught two passes for 17 yards. However, they let him go after the season, and he caught on with the Cleveland Browns.
He spent 2019 and 2020 with the Browns. He caught just four passes for 76 yards during his first year with the team. Then, he had 11 catches for 180 yards in his second year.
After that, he moved on to the Lions. This was the first year with Jared Goff, and the team went 3-13. The wide receiver room was Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, Josh Reynolds, and Hodge. Hodge was fourth in yards with 157 on 13 catches.
Detroit improved the position from there, and Hodge went to the Atlanta Falcons. He has been there for the past four seasons. He had 202 yards in 2022, and then 232 yards the following season. In 2024, he had 131 yards.
However, he only had 31 yards in 2025. The Falcons changed coaching staffs after the year, and they moved on from Hodge, who has been looking for a job. He will be 31-years old this season, and his stats have trended down in each of the past two seasons. So, there is a reason he is still available.
While he would struggle to make the Lions’ roster, he could push to make the 49ers.
49ers Signing Hodge Speaks to Lack of Depth
Injuries have already been hitting one of the notable NFC contenders that the Lions will have to deal with. The 49ers are not healthy as things stand, and they had to sign Hodge.
Their big free agent signing, Mike Evans, is being held out with an injury. So is their top draft pick, De’Zhaun Stribling. Ricky Pearsall is already on the season-ending IR, and Christian Kirk is on the PUP right now.
Stribling and Evans should be back soon, but the 49ers are currently missing all of their top four options at wide receiver. So, it makes sense why the team would sign Hodge.
Meanwhile, the Lions are much deeper than that. They have St. Brown and Jameson Williams healthy. They are also looking for an improved year from Isaac TeSlaa. There is excitement over Greg Dortch as well. So, Hodge is a better fit for the 49ers than returning to the Lions.
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