Lions Signing Former Bears Tight End

Lions add former Bears, Northwestern tight end.

Northwestern Wildcats tight end Thomas Gordon (87). | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have made another addition to their roster as the calendar inches toward official free agency.

On Thursday, reports indicated that the Lions are signing tight end Thomas Gordon to the roster on a Reserve/Futures contract. Because Gordon did not end the season on an NFL active roster, he was eligible to be signed on this type of contract.

Gordon also spent a brief time with the UFL's San Antonio Brahmas, but was signed by the Bears after appearing in just one game in the spring football league.

He's the latest player to join the team on a futures contract, as the Lions signed nine players to this type of deal earlier in the offseason. That group included wide receivers Jackson Meeks and Malik Cunningham, linemen Devin Cochran and Mason MIller, defensive end Ahmed Hassanein, defensive tackle Chris Smith, tight end Zach Horton, safety Loren Strickland and running back Jabari Small.

He worked out for the Lions at one point last season, reportedly coming to Detroit in November after the injury to tight end Sam LaPorta. Ultimately, the team would sign veteran Anthony Firkser, who had been with the team previously in 2023.

Gordon played collegiately at Northwestern and just finished his first NFL season. While he did not appear in a regular season game, he spent the preseason with the Chicago Bears and would return to that same organization for the final two regular season games and the postseason as a member of the practice squad.

Prior to joining the Bears' active roster, Gordon finished last year's UFL season with the St. Antonio Roughnecks.

During his time at Northwestern, Gordon hauled in a total of 54 passes for 529 yards and two scores across six years.

The signing of Gordon comes after the hiring of new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who has been known to use plenty of multi-tight end personnel packages throughout his tenure with the Arizona Cardinals.

Detroit dealt with multiple injuries at this position in 2025, as both starter Sam LaPorta and backup Brock Wright suffered season-ending injuries. As a result, the Lions rolled out the likes of Firkser, Shane Zylstra and Giovanni Ricci late in the season.

While LaPorta is one of the NFL's most productive tight ends, the group's production tailed off following his injury.

Detroit is currently actively in the market for a tight ends coach, as Tyler Roehl departed the organziation to become the offensive coordinator at Iowa State University.