Jackson Meeks, an undrafted rookie receiver who shined during the preseason, was elevated from the practice squad to the Detroit Lions’ gameday roster less than 24 hours before the team faces the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Sept. 28, at Ford Field.

The organization also announced it placed Daniel Thomas on injured reserve after the safety underwent surgery to repair a broken forearm this past Wednesday.

The 6-foot-2, 218-pound Meeks has been on the team’s practice squad since late August, joining it just one day after he was waived. At the time, it appeared Meeks, was under serious consideration to make the team after he led the Lions with 11 catches and 176 receiving yards in four preseason games.

Meeks, a former standout at Syracuse who wasn’t selected the NFL draft this past April, was battling with fellow rookie receiver Dominic Lovett for one of the last available roster spots. Lovett, a seventh-round pick, ended up snagging it.

If active Sunday, Meeks will buttress a receiving corps that already features Lovett and four other players. He could also replace Thomas as a gunner on special teams after getting repetitions at that position during training camp.

Thomas, a sixth-year veteran, will now be required to miss the next four games. Since he joined the Lions in late August following his release from Jacksonville, he has played 50 of his 59 snaps on special teams while serving on five different units.

Because Meeks’ promotion isn’t permanent, the Lions will eventually have to fill the spot on the 53-man roster that was vacated once Thomas was moved to injured reserve.