Detroit Lions Sign WR Tom Kennedy, Add DB to Practice Squad

Tom Kennedy is back in action for the Detroit Lions.

The team signed Kennedy to the active roster, putting them at the 53-man limit ahead of Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Kennedy is expected to handle punt return duties in the opener.

To fill Kennedy's spot on the practice squad, the team signed cornerback Natrone Brooks to the practice squad. Brooks has appeared in 26 games in his career, all for the Atlanta Falcons over the last two seasons.

“Yeah, obviously I'm excited for (Kennedy). I mean, every time we put him back there, he's done something with the ball in his hands, made a little play here or there, kind of created a spark of energy," said special teams coordinator Dave Fipp. "He did that in the preseason again. At the end of the day, it's going to be a collective effort of all 11 guys out on the field, not just one guy and not just him certainly. So, I'm excited to watch that group play.”

Kennedy was in the mix for the starting punt return duties throughout training camp, along with veteran free agent signing Greg Dortch. The consensus was that Dortch was the favorite to win the position, but both Dortch and Kennedy were left off the initial active roster.

The Lions moved swiftly to keep Kennedy, who is one of their longest-tenured players, on the practice squad. Earlier this week, head coach Dan Campbell let it slip that Kennedy would be with the team active for their matchup with the Saints.

Kennedy has been with the organization since the 2019 season, when he remained on the practice squad after not making the active roster as an undrafted free agent out of Bryant. He has bounced between the practice squad and active roster ever since, recording 18 catches for 231 yards and returning 26 kickoffs for 709 yards.

He has become a staple for the franchise due to his work ethic, flexibility to play both on offense and special teams, and trust that has been earned with Campbell and the rest of the coaching staff.

The Lions utilized Kennedy on special teams throughout last season when Kalif Raymond was out with an injury. He returned three punts and 16 kickoffs, demonstrating an aptitude for playing in the role and cementing that with his performance in training camp.

Kennedy will also add depth to the receiver room. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are both bona fide top options, but the team has only two others besides Kennedy on the roster in Isaac TeSlaa and Tay Martin. TeSlaa is looking to make good on the hype surrounding a potential breakout year, while Martin is a former UFL wideout who will contribute predominately on special teams.

Though Kennedy has not scored a regular season touchdown, one of his most memorable moments came in the 2021 regular season finale when he tossed a 75-yard touchdown pass to Raymond against the Green Bay Packers.

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