Many have penciled in exciting second-year pro Isaac TeSlaa as the Detroit Lions' No. 3 wide receiver. However, would it be that surprising to see Greg Dortch win the job?
Detroit signed Dortch to a one-year contract worth roughly $1.4 million back in March. He comes with a decent amount of experience, modest production and special teams chops. Perhaps most notably, though, the undrafted veteran's quite familiar with the club's new offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing, given their overlapping stints with the Arizona Cardinals.
Put it all together, and Dortch quietly has plenty going for him; enough to push TeSlaa with a solid showing at the Lions' mandatory minicamp.
Greg Dortch quietly has a chance to push Isaac TeSlaa for Lions' WR3 role
Lions fans understandably want TeSlaa to round out a trio of him, speedster Jameson Williams and three-time All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown. The 2025 third-round pick only posted 16 receptions as a rookie, yet nearly every one was an acrobatic, highlight-reel-worthy grab. Nevertheless, the 5-foot-7, 180-pound Dortch's presence might loom larger than expected.
Dortch spent the past five campaigns with the Cardinals, including three with Petzing. The former assumed reserve slot receiver and return specialist duties, ranking 12th in the NFL in kickoff yards gained last season (811).
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A chest injury limited Dortch to 12 games in his final year in Arizona, but he was sneakily effective when healthy, which the numbers bear out. The Wake Forest product was among 122 wideouts who drew at least 25 targets in 2025, ranking highly in the following categories:
- Tied for seventh in yards after catch per reception (6.9)
- Eighth in passer rating when targeted (123.0)
- Tied for 14th in missed tackles forced (12)
Note: Metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus' premium stats ($).
Obviously, Dortch and TeSlaa are two very different types of players. Roughly nine inches and a weight plate (45 pounds) separate them. In theory, they should be able to coexist, although there are only so many opportunities up for grabs with St. Brown and Williams dominating looks.
TeSlaa will have his work cut out for him in more ways than one. He isn't just competing with Brown and Williams (plus star running back Jahmyr Gibbs and standout tight end Sam LaPorta). Dortch's track record and connection to Petzing are another factor that can't be overlooked.
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