Special teams unit talk isn't the sexiest, but it's an area of improvement for the Detroit Lions ahead of the 2026 season. They have one of the best kicking units in the league with Jack Fox, Jake Bates, and Hogan Hatten all playing at a decent level with the squad, and their return unit found a spark with Tom Kennedy towards the end of the 2025 season.
They also intentionally added some extra return juice in free agency, bringing Greg Dortch over from the Arizona Cardinals. But, they could definitely use some added size and speed on their return team, which is where second-year receiver Jackson Meeks can really carve out a role for himself.
Meeks, who barely saw any playing time in 2025, could storm training camp with some excellent play as a returner ahead of this season. And, if he can't crack that unit, it seems like he might be steered in another direction given a great camp: backup tight end.
Meeks could carve out permanent role with excellent camp for two units
Meeks put on some bulk in the offseason as the Lions were interested in potentially seeing him play tight end, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. He also stood out in minicamp, according to Detroit Lions reporter Tim Twentyman, who had him down for a touchdown in traffic during an 11-on-11 drill.
Meeks is not your prototypical tight end, if that were to be where he landed on the Lions' depth chart - he's not as large as Sam LaPorta or Brock Wright, to be sure - but, he's got the hands and frame to make it work as a backup tight end in a pinch for Detroit. If the team is looking to shave down their depth at that position, Meeks could slide in behind LaPorta and/or Wright by the season's start.
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On special teams, Meeks might have the strongest case to stick on the roster. Thanks to adding that bulk, he could compete alongside Dortch and Kennedy as a kickoff and/or punt returner for the special teams unit, especially if he continues to show his YAC capabilities in preseason as he did in 2025.
The undrafted free agent could become yet another success story for the Lions on that front if he can crack the roster in 2026.
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