By Blessing 
Breaking Down Tim Patrick’s New Contract With the Detroit Lions — A Team-Friendly Deal Yet Again
Last year during training camp, the Detroit Lions found themselves in a bit of a bind when it came to their third wide receiver spot. Despite a competitive battle between Antoine Green, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Daurice Fountain, none of them really emerged as a solid option. That left the Lions hoping to find help elsewhere—ideally from players let go by other teams.
Enter Tim Patrick.
The former Broncos wideout practically landed in Detroit’s lap, and the timing couldn’t have been better. While he wasn’t expected to carry a heavy workload, Patrick quietly became a key piece of the offense. In 16 games, he saw just 44 targets, but his value went beyond stats. He offered quarterback Jared Goff a reliable, physical presence on the outside and contributed meaningfully as a blocker in the run game—something not every receiver is willing or able to do.
In 2024, Patrick came at an absolute bargain. Because of his injury history, the Lions signed him for the veteran minimum—just $1.125 million. That’s an incredibly low price tag for someone who ended up playing a starting role at a high-value position. Now, as he returns to Detroit for another year, Patrick is getting a raise—but still remains a budget-friendly asset for the team.
While it was initially reported that Patrick’s new deal could be worth “up to $4 million,” the actual contract is far more modest. It’s a one-year, $2.5 million agreement. Here’s how it breaks down:
Base Salary: $1,255,000 (fully guaranteed)
Signing Bonus: $1,245,000
Cap Hit: $2,500,000
The difference between the $2.5 million base and the “up to $4 million” figure suggests there are about $1.5 million in incentives worked into the deal. While specifics haven’t been disclosed, these types of bonuses are often tied to performance metrics like receiving yards, snaps played, or team success.
Structurally, it’s a simple and straightforward contract. The base salary is fully guaranteed—though it’s still just the veteran minimum—and the signing bonus bumps up his total earnings. There’s no financial advantage for Detroit to release him, so while his roster spot isn’t necessarily guaranteed, there’s little reason to move on from him.
Looking across the Lions’ receiving corps, the team is getting strong value across the board:
Amon-Ra St. Brown: $13.91 million cap hit — 16th among NFL receivers in 2025
Kalif Raymond: $6.38 million — 38th
Jameson Williams: $5.6 million — 40th
Tim Patrick: $2.5 million — 74th
Despite these individual bargains, Detroit is still investing significantly in the position group—ranking 10th in wide receiver spending with over $31.5 million allocated. But when you have two potential top-20 receivers and an elite return specialist in the mix, that number makes sense.
And for the Lions, Patrick continues to be a high-value piece at a low cost—just the way this front office likes it.