After a very long day waiting for the Detroit Lions to announce their initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season, we finally received that list alongside which players the team had decided to waive or release. One name that stood out immediately was wide receiver Greg Dortch, who had been pegged for a potential returner role and as competition for Isaac TeSlaa at WR3.
Instead, Dortch was released - not waived, as he has at least four years of service in the NFL under his belt - and the wait was on to see if the Lions would be bringing him back on the practice squad. Unfortunately, Dortch only lasted a day on the free agent market, and was scooped up by the Buffalo Bills for their practice squad.
It's not the biggest loss for the Lions from this offseason, but it's definitely a bit perplexing that they couldn't hold onto him for wide receiver depth headed into the year. Either they simply didn't think he fit on the roster, or they were planning on doing some sort of roster gymnastics to fit him back on the team before the year began, but either way you slice it, it was a weird release.
Lions' Greg Dortch decision might be their only loss from cutdown day
Dortch was a speedy weapon with connections to offensive coordinator Drew Petzing from his days with the Arizona Cardinals, but now lands with a Bills team that's always on the hunt for more firepower to assist Josh Allen. Buffalo averaged just 6.47 yards per punt return in 2025, but were amongst the best in the league on kickoff returns with 27.91 yards per attempt.
Dortch and Nick Whiteside were the two most surprising releases from cutdown day, although Whiteside made it through waivers and has landed with the teams' practice squad once again. At wide receiver, the Lions opted to hold onto Lucky Jackson, a UFL star the team poached and saw some great production out of in their final preseason game of the year, as well as Tom Kennedy.
READ MORE: The Lions should be all-in on Christian Gonzalez following cutdown day
With Kennedy also landing on the practice squad (again), you have to wonder how the Lions are approaching their search for a new punt and kickoff returner this season. They tried a few guys out there in the preseason, but no one really stuck out. Perhaps with Sione Vaki making the team and having rested for all of the preseason due to a back injury, he will be tapped for those duties.
Detroit can also use Tay Martin, who made the squad as the teams' WR4.
Add us as a preferred source on Google