The Detroit Lions have signed a wide receiver to a new contract. No, not that one. And no, not that one either.
As first reported by Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, Donovan Peoples-Jones will be brought back on a one-year worth up to $2 million.
The Lions acquired Peoples-Jones, a University of Michigan alum and Detroit native, from the Cleveland Browns at the 2023 trade deadline for a 2025 sixth-round pick.
In eight games for the Lions Peoples-Jones had just five catches for 58 yards, but three of them moved the chains. After Kalif Raymond was injured in Week 18, he stepped in as the primary punt returner through the playoffs.
Being a midseason acquisition like he was, Peoples-Jones had to try to get up to speed with a new offense and used to new teammates on the fly as the Lions made their run to a division title and ultimately to the NFC title game. Now, he'll have a full offseason to build rapport with Jared Goff. Last year's downturn, even with the Browns before he was dealt, makes it easy to forget what he did in 2022 for Cleveland (61 receptions for 839 yards).
Lions re-sign Donovan Peoples-Jones
It comes off like agent/PR speak, but in his report of the deal Schultz added the Lions "prioritized keeping" Peoples-Jones and the organization sees him as " a rising player at just 25 years old."
The Lions are bringing back most of their receiving corps at this point, from Amon-Ra St. Brown down to practice squad guys. But Raymond's injury situation is unclear, with a knee issue that kept him out of all three playoff games and the fact it happened in the regular season finale. And the current exception is of course Josh Reynolds, who appears to be seeing what's out there for him on the open market.
But any team who had Peoples-Jones on their radar as a bargain free agent signing this year is out of luck. The Lions are giving him a chance to possibly make a bigger difference next season.