Patrick can earn up to $4 million on his deal next season. The veteran receiver who missed all of the 2022 and 2023 seasons due to a torn ACL (2022) and torn Achilles (2023) played in 16 games last season for the Lions while making nine starts. Patrick posted a line of 33-394-3 in his return to action and will provide the Lions with some reliable depth in the receiver room, along with a big red zone target for Jared Goff.

With Davante Adams and Allen Lazard both expected to be playing elsewhere in 2025, signing on with the Jets would give Patrick as good a chance as any to compete for a starting role, though he is likely best deployed in a rotational capacity. Patrick can also serve as a mentor for Garrett Wilson and Hughes reports that “changing the culture is a major priority for” new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn. Wilson is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, with one year remaining on his contract, though it “could take a [little time]” for the Jets’ front office to evaluate the value of a star player whose productivity and development have been somewhat stunted by previous, unideal organizational circumstances. Patrick and Glenn, then the Lions’ defensive coordinator, spent the 2024 season together in Detroit.

Patrick appeared to be a midseason revelation for the Lions after he caught 16 passes for 176 yards and three scores during a four-game stretch late in the season. That production quickly evaporated and he would go on to reel in a measly three passes over his final four games including the playoff loss. Patrick is a solid third receiver who adds some extra juice in the run game as a blocker, but two season-ending injuries have likely sapped enough of his athleticism to prevent him from ever running as a team’s second receiver again. He should still have no issues finding a roster spot on the open market once free agency opens.

Patrick’s two targets were primarily a function of only 33 pass attempts from quarterback Jared Goff in the convincing win. Jameson Williams led the team with eight targets, followed by seven each for tight end Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown and five for running back Jahmyr Gibbs. The win clinched the NFC’s top seed, a playoff bye, and home field advantage for the Lions, who will await the results from Wildcard Weekend before learning their opponent in the Divisional Round.