The TE3 spot might not sound sexy but it matters more than you think
Training camp opens in less than a week and while everyone is going to obsess over the left guard battle, there’s a quieter competition brewing that could tell us everything about Drew Petzing’s offensive vision. The third tight end spot is up for grabs, and with Petzing expected to lean harder into 12- and 13-personnel sets, this is not some throwaway roster bubble fight. This is a real job with real snaps attached to it.
Let’s break down who’s actually competing for it.
Brock Wright has been here forever but his cap hit is a problem
Wright is the incumbent. He’s been with the Lions for a long time. That should count for something.
But here’s the issue: Wright is not a receiving threat, and his blocking is fine without being the kind of fine that makes you feel good about keeping him around at $4.7 million. That cap number is steep for a projected TE3, especially when you have younger, cheaper options sitting right there in camp ready to prove they can do the same job or better.
Wright’s job is his to lose. But there’s a real chance he loses it.
Jackson Meeks is the wildcard and the one I’m watching closest
The Lions have been moving Meeks to tight end since midway through last season. He’s bulked up from 210 pounds to 235 pounds and spent the entire spring working with the tight ends. This is not some camp gimmick. This is a deliberate long-term project.
The vision is a hybrid receiver-tight end who can line up inline in 12-personnel and then motion out wide to shift the formation into 11-personnel on the fly. The defense has to adjust mid-play and that’s where the advantage lives. Think Devin Funchess when Funchess was in the NFL.
The obvious question is whether Meeks can block. If he can’t, none of this matters. He just can’t play tight end. But if he can, even passably, he becomes a legitimate weapon in a way that none of the other candidates can match.
Zach Horton, Miles Kitselman, and Thomas Gordon are long shots with varying odds
Horton came into the league last year as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana. His calling card is run blocking and he could potentially serve as a fullback, which matters for a Lions team that wants to establish the ground game above all else. He’s not a receiving threat but that extra dimension in the run game gives him an outside shot.
Kitselman is the undrafted rookie out of Tennessee. He’s basically the college version of Brock Wright: can catch some passes, can block in both phases, fits the mold. I liked him before the draft and even mocked him to Detroit a couple times. He makes sense for what the Lions want to run but we have to see it translate to the pros.
Thomas Gordon is the longest shot. The former UFL tight end who spent time with the Chicago Bears is a big body at 6-5, 255 pounds. He fits the inline tight end mold Detroit values. His path to the roster runs through blocking, special teams contributions, and proving he can handle multiple assignments. The high end for Gordon is a reliable depth piece but he has to prove he’s more than a camp body first.
Give me Jackson Meeks and let’s see what happens
I know the blocking question looms large. I know it’s a risk. But Meeks adds an element to this offense that none of the other candidates can match. When Sam LaPorta or Tyler Conklin or Brock Wright are on the field, a linebacker knows exactly what he’s looking at. When Meeks is out there, the defense doesn’t know what to expect because he can split out wide and play receiver.
That versatility, even in a limited role, is more valuable than a third tight end who can block kind of fine.
The Lions might carry four tight ends on the 53-man roster. We’ll see what happens over the next few weeks. But this is a battle worth watching all summer long.
So who’s your pick for TE3? Are we trusting the young gamble or sticking with the safe veteran choice? Drop your take below.
