Tim

Patrick

Patrick, who has not appeared in a regular season game since 2021, was released by the Broncos on Tuesday. The Lions certainly make sense from a need perspective. Now 30, it is admittedly uncertain if Patrick is still capable of working his way onto a 53-man roster. If and when Patrick earns a promotion from the taxi squad, it is difficult to believe he will manage to become fantasy relevant.

Patrick is an established name, but it’s not exactly surprising no one was willing to surrender compensation for a 30-year-old who hasn’t played in three years. Patrick will now try to re-establish some value on the workout circuit, though he could also end up back on the Broncos’ practice squad.

Patrick, 30, has bounced back nicely from back-to-back season-ending injuries. In his final preseason outing, the veteran receiver caught 4-of-4 targets for 30 yards and a touchdown while playing with the starters. The decision to move on from Patrick likely spells good news for Marvin Mims, who was among the group of players who did not suit up for the Broncos’ final preseason game. There are plenty of teams in need of help at receiver who could benefit from adding Patrick to their roster. He’s not likely to offer much as a full-time starter, but his size still makes him a threat in the red zone and down around the goal line. According to Klis, Patrick “is generating strong interest on [the] market.”

Patrick was the preferred target of Bo Nix, who was responsible for all four of the targets thrown Patrick’s way. Patrick ran with the starting unit and capped off his night with a two-yard touchdown reception on a night where Nix impressed with the first-team unit. Patrick hasn’t played a regular-season snap since 2021, as injuries in back-to-back years ended his season before it ever got started. A return to the field is already an impressive feat for the 30-year-old receiver, but earning a starting spot out of the gate would make his return that much sweeter. Patrick has never totaled more than 742 yards in a season and doesn’t have much if any, fantasy upside at this time.

Patrick played on 11 of the first-team offense’s first 12 snaps, suggesting he is currently the team’s No. 2 wide receiver. The snaps were Patrick’s first in-game since 2021, having suffered summer ACL and Achilles tendon injuries in consecutive seasons. The development suddenly places Patrick on the late-round-value radar.

It’s no surprise for a player who hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since 2021. Working in Patrick’s favor are positive comments from coach Sean Payton and a renegotiated contract that has made him far more affordable for 2024. There is just only so much that can be working in your favor when you’re on the wrong side of 30 and haven’t played for nearly three years. This is a rough, undermanned receiver group. Perhaps Patrick’s experience will earn him the final spot.

Patrick is working his way back from a torn Achilles he suffered in training camp last season. The year before, Patrick saw his 2022 come to an end due to a torn ACL. The veteran receiver is set to enter his eighth season with the Broncos, but hasn’t taken a regular-season snap since 2021. Patrick caught 53 passes for 734 yards and five touchdowns in his last year of play, but his status with the team heading into this season remains very much up in the air. Assuming he makes the 53-man roster, Patrick probably won’t see a significant role as long as the guys ahead of him are healthy.

Patrick was spotted running routes and participating in team drills at Thursday’s OTAs. The veteran receiver is hoping to overcome a recent string of bad luck that saw him miss back-to-back seasons due to a torn ACL (2022) and a torn Achilles (2023) suffered in training camp. The Broncos kept Patrick around on a one-year deal earlier this offseason, but it remains to be seen how he could factor into the offense if healthy. Courtland Sutton remains on the team, and Marvin Mims and rookie Troy Franklin are both expected to factor into the offense to some degree. They also signed veteran Josh Reynolds in free agency. Assuming he makes the roster, Patrick probably doesn’t have much fantasy upside as long as the guys in front of him are healthy. Given his size and efficiency in the end zone in the past, it’s possible Patrick’s primary role will come in the red zone.

The team had a potential out this offseason but worked with the injury-plagued Patrick to return to Denver for 2024. Patrick, 31, missed the 2022 season with an ACL injury and the 2023 season with an Achilles tear. Once upon a time, Patrick was a reliable, big-bodied receiver who posted back-to-back seasons of 700 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns over the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He has a long way to go until he reaches fantasy relevance again.

This report confirms previous suspicions and is devastating news for the Denver wide receiver. Patrick missed all of the 2022 season with a torn ACL and had been the talk of the offseason program for the Broncos prior to going down in practice on Monday with a non-contact injury. With fellow Broncos wide receiver KJ Hamler away from the team as he deals with a heart issue, the door appears open for rookie Marvin Mims to seize hold of a starting role from three-wide sets to begin the season.