Detroit Lions free agent signing Greg Dortch has hit the ground running at training camp. The wide receiver is starting to make a name for himself on offense, but according to head coach Dan Campbell, he is already turning heads in the return game.
“Did you see some of those returns yesterday?” Campbell asked when discussing Dortch with the media after a training camp practice.
Campbell noted that it is still early into training camp, and that some of the other returners have flashed as well, but the team is getting what they expected from Dortch in the return game.
Detroit Lions Setting Expectations for Free Agent Wide Receiver Greg Dortch
GettyWide receiver Greg Dortch.
When the team signed Dortch to a one-year, $1.4M deal in free agency, the expectation was for him to make it at the bottom of the depth chart as a return threat at wide receiver. However, his fast start in training camp has the team wondering if they can get more out of him in training camp.
Dortch spent the past five years on the Arizona Cardinals. That means he spent the past three years with Drew Petzing as his playcaller. This shows that Petzing has a good relationship with Dortch, and it explains why he has been able to flash early into camp.
“Dortch has a history here with Petzing, so he knows what he’s able to do,” added Campbell.
However, Campbell also made it clear that it will be tough for Dortch to get on the field consistently based on the Lions’ current depth chart at receiver.
“We also have three pretty good receivers right now at the top of this thing,” Campbell said. “So his is finding where do I fit into this thing and leave my mark.”
Dortch is not going to take snaps away from Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams or second-year receiver Isaac TeSlaa. However, he can push Cedrick Wilson and Dominic Lovett, who are likely competing for the fourth spot.
Dortch is Entering his Seventh Year in the NFL
Dortch was a UDFA who signed with the Carolina Panthers out of Wake Forest. He saw the field in a limited capacity as a rookie, but then sat out the 2020 season due to the pandemic. Then, he came back in 2021 with the Cardinals and has been there since.
He only had 15 yards in his first season, but had 52 catches for 467 yards in 2022. However, he started to become a solid depth option for the team under Petzing.
He had 24 catches for 280 yards in 2023, 37 catches for 342 yards in 2024, and then last year had 29 catches for 206 yards.
More than that, he has been trusted in the return game going back to his rookie season in 2019. For his career, he has 99 punt returns and 75 kick returns. He averages 8.9 yards per punt return and 23.6 yards per kick return.
He is a trusted return threat in both facets, although he does not have a touchdown in the return game. The only question now is how much of a role he will have.
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