Lions Fans Weigh In on the WR4 Battle, and Greg Dortch is Running Away With It
With rookie Kendrick Law sidelined indefinitely after tearing his ACL, the Lions suddenly have a wide open competition for that fourth receiver spot. And according to our latest fan survey, it might not be as wide open as we thought.
Greg Dortch absolutely dominated the voting, pulling in the majority of responses from Lions fans who clearly see what Brad Holmes saw when he signed the veteran free agent this offseason. The familiarity with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing doesn’t hurt either.
But here’s where it gets interesting. The next three options were bunched up tight behind Dortch, with Dominic Lovett, Jackson Meeks, and Tom Kennedy all getting meaningful support. That tells you everything about how this training camp battle is going to shake out.
The Case for Each Guy
Lions fans made compelling arguments for their picks, and honestly, they all make sense. One fan pointed to Dortch’s proven NFL track record and versatility on special teams, calling out his “TRUE GRIT” for surviving five years at 5’7″ and 175 pounds. That’s not wrong.
Another fan went with Lovett purely on speed, noting you can’t coach 4.4 wheels. Fair point when you’re looking at a guy who needs to contribute immediately.
The Meeks supporters focused on his blocking ability, suggesting he could fill a hybrid WR/TE role while the offensive line gets its act together. That’s smart football thinking right there.
And then there’s the Tom Kennedy contingent, pulling for the local favorite who has embraced special teams and keeps grinding for that elusive 53-man roster spot. Hell, you have to respect the persistence.
What This Really Means
The truth is, with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and TeSlaa locked into the top three spots, plus Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs demanding targets, there aren’t going to be a ton of catches left for whoever wins this job. But that doesn’t make it any less important.
Special teams value, blocking ability, and being ready when your number gets called. That’s what separates making the roster from watching from home. Dortch seems to have the early edge, but training camp will tell the real story.
Who do you think wins the WR4 spot, and does it even matter when this offense runs through three other guys anyway? Drop your prediction below.
Dortch at 5’7″ surviving this long in the league is exactly the kind of grit this team is all about now. The fact that Brad Holmes and Drew Petzing have familiarity with him just makes sense, and I’m here for it. This is the kind of smart, calculated move that shows we’re thinking differently than we used to.
Look, I like what Holmes is doing overall but I’m not ready to crown Dortch just because he dominated a fan poll. Training camp is a whole different animal and we’ve seen these WR4 situations burn us before. Let’s pump the brakes and see who actually shows up when it matters.
Man, the way this current regime handles roster construction reminds me we actually know what we’re doing now. Used to be we’d panic and overpay for some random guy. Now Holmes is bringing in guys like Dortch who fit what we need and have chemistry with the coaching staff. That’s the difference right there.
The WR4 spot matters way more than people think because it’s about who’s ready when someone goes down. Dortch, Lovett, all these guys – they’re depth that could be the difference between staying in a game and getting blown out. Campbell’s system rewards the guys who are locked in on every snap, and Dortch seems like that guy.