Jace

Billingsley

It is early in the offseason for reporter favorites to emerge, but Billingsley’s name has come up a couple times recently. An undrafted sophomore out of Eastern Oregon who stands 5-foot-8, 189 pounds, Billingsley caught 12 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns last preseason before spending most of the year on the practice squad. He looks like a name to know in deep Dynasty circles.

Tate obviously isn’t making personnel decisions in Detroit, but this isn’t the first time Billingsley’s name has come up this offseason. Dubbed “White Thunder” by Tate, Billingsley is a small, shifty slot receiver at 5'8/189. “He reminds me a lot of a younger me,” Tate said. “Just very, very shifty. I think he’s got some running back in him. ... I hope to see him out there. I trust him. I think he’s a heck of a player.” The slot job is open with Anquan Boldin still a free agent.

In the spring, you’d have thought Billingsley was headed for a first-team All-Pro selection this year with the talk coming out of Detroit. Predictably, he was a nobody when the lights came on this summer.

Ex-Packers WR Jared Abbrederis was waived in a corresponding roster move, as well as DE Jacquies Smith.