Cardinals Fan-Favorite WR Signing With Lions

Former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch is signing with the Detroit Lions on a one-year deal, according to numerous reports.

Dortch spent the past five seasons in Arizona, working his way up the roster from basement dweller to a splashy playmaker on offense and special teams.

Now, he reunites with former Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who now assumes the same role in Detroit. He'll also be facing off against former quarterback Kyler Murray (Vikings) and coach Jonathan Gannon, who is the Green Bay Packers' defensive coordinator.

Dortch, undersized at 5-7 and 180 lbs, played 66 games for the Cardinals across his five seasons, tallying 1,310 yards, 145 receptions and ten touchdowns. Dortch was primarily a backup through his tenure in Arizona, though he managed to produce in the little starting spurts he got through the years.

“(He’s a) playmaker, man ... He wears a lot of hats for us. He puts his pads on every day and comes to work and he is a grinder. I love him for it. He's highly competitive. If you get enough of those guys, you'll be okay," Gannon previously said of Dortch.

Dortch played 25% or more of special teams snaps through his Cardinals career, specifically as a return man on punt and kickoff duties through the final years of his tenure in the desert.

Like Gannon said, Dortch's selflessness and ability to perform multiple roles made him a valuable and versatile asset for the Cardinals to deploy on game days.

That also helped make Dortch a fan favorite in Arizona, with fans often citing "light the Dortch" after every play made by the Wake Forest wideout. The soon-to-be 28-year-old was constantly praised by coaches and teammates, and even when Dortch wasn't playing much, he never complained.

“I feel like it’s tough for him just him being in the position that he’s in. When he touches the ball and he’s on the field for quite a few snaps, good things happen. He’s one of those guys where he’s got— I call it feel. You can’t really coach it," Murray said of Dortch.

"It’s just something that he has. It’s a natural feel for the game. When he touches the ball, good things usually tend to happen. It’s tough because we’ve got a lot of guys that have to touch the field but when he does touch the field, he makes the most of his opportunities.”

Now, Dortch joins a Lions offense that has Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams leading the way. Dortch's presence should help Detroit's offense transition easier to Petzing's scheme, language, etc. entering 2026.