If you’re a daily reader of our Detroit Lions training camp observations and/or viewer of our daily camp recaps on Pride of Detroit Direct, you may have noticed a lack of Tim Patrick mentions. That’s no accident, as it’s been a slow first week of training camp, and he’ll be the first to point it out.
As he enters Year 8 in the NFL, he’s trying to draw inspiration from Detroit’s group of young, blossoming receivers.
“This probably one of the hardest training camps I’ve been around, and for them to handle it the way they’ve been handling it is very encouraging and inspiring,” Patrick said. “It makes me want to go harder, because I’ve been slacking a little bit, so they’re picking up my game play.”
It’s easy to forget that Patrick, who caught 33 passes for 394 yards and three scores for Detroit last year, is still relatively new to the team. Last year, he spent his entire offseason with the Denver Broncos. He only landed with Detroit after he was cut at the end of Broncos camp. In retrospect, it’s astonishing how quickly Patrick became a consistent contributor in the Lions offense, but now Patrick is learning that training camp is different.
“Camp is where you really find who you have, you bond with your teammates, you go to war with them every day, because camp is hard. This is my first time going through a camp like this,” Patrick said.
Re-upping with the Lions after his strong 2024 season wasn’t much of a decision for Patrick. The 31-year-old receiver was eager to rejoin a team with so many weapons.
“My job is going to be easy,” Patrick said. “I just gotta beat the number, what, 4 cornerback? I should win that every single time.”
What has been particularly puzzling for Patrick this camp is that this is the first offseason he’s been healthy in a while. He suffered a torn ACL in August 2022, tore his Achilles in July 2023, and spent all of 2024 offseason rehabbing from the Achilles. After playing in 16 games last season and balling out in the spring, it’s only added to the frustration of his slow start at camp.
“I feel great. That’s why I’m just frustrated that it’s not showing right now, because in OTAs it did,” Patrick said. “Training camp is a little different, I just gotta pick this shit up.”
But don’t mistake frustration for a lack of confidence. It’s only the second week of training camp, and the veteran receiver believes that as they get closer to the September 7 season opener, he’ll be ready.
“Yeah, starting off a little slow, but I promise you by the time the season comes, I’m gonna be firing on all cylinders,” Patrick said.
