Eagles Trade Proposal Brings Lions Big-Bodied WR to Philly on the Cheap

With the Detroit Lions wide receivers room full of young talent and competition heating up in the preseason, veteran Tim Patrick is starting to look expendable.

The 31-year-old proved in 2024 that he can still contribute after two lost seasons to injury, but with Detroit developing younger, cheaper options, some think he could be a trade candidate.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report named Patrick the one player each team should put on the trade block.

“The 31-year-old signed a one-year contract to return to Detroit this offseason, but he could be pushed out of significant playing time. Rookie receivers Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett both made noise in the Hall of Fame Game and had generated some attention before that in training camp,” Knox wrote on August 6.

The Philadelphia Eagles would make sense as a potential trade partner.

The Philadelphia Eagles Should Try to Trade for WR Tim Patrick

The Eagles are heading into the season with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith at the top of the depth chart, but a lot of uncertainty behind them. A reliable, big-bodied WR3 who can win contested catches and block on the perimeter would be an asset in Nick Sirianni’s offense — and Patrick fits that profile.

According to Knox, if it looks like Patrick “won’t contribute consistently this season, the Lions should see what they can get for him in return. A potential contender on a tight budget could be particularly interested in Patrick and his $1.3 million base salary.”

That description fits the Eagles. Here’s a trade proposal we put together that might bring Patrick to Philly:

• Eagles receive: WR Tim Patrick
•  Lions receive: Conditional 2026 6th-round pick
• Pick conditions: Escalates to a 5th-round pick if Patrick plays at least 45% of offensive snaps or scores five or more touchdowns in the 2025 season.
• Additional incentives: Eagles pay an extra $200,000 in cash considerations if they reach the NFC Championship Game and Patrick catches at least one touchdown in the playoffs

Patrick’s strengths on comebacks, digs and back-shoulder throws would pair nicely with Brown’s physicality and Smith’s crisp route-running. The 6-foot-4, 212-pound Patrick has good size, and he’s also a solid blocker on the perimeter, which would help in the Eagles’ RPO-heavy offense.

For Detroit, the move would clear the way for younger wideouts to develop while adding a future draft pick that could become more valuable if Patrick plays well.

A Look Back at Patrick’s Career

Patrick wasn’t a highly touted draft pick — in fact, he wasn’t drafted at all — but he built his career the hard way, grinding on practice squads before eventually earning a starting role with the Denver Broncos.

From there, he became one of Denver’s most consistent receivers, stringing together back-to-back seasons with more than 50 catches and 700 yards before a stretch of injuries threatened to derail it all. A torn ACL in August 2022 and a torn Achilles in July 2023 wiped out two full years of his prime, but Patrick came back.

In 2024, he returned with the Lions and showed he could still be a reliable contributor, catching 33 passes for 394 yards and three touchdowns — including a memorable two-score performance that sealed a win over the rival Green Bay Packers.

He’s by no means a game-wrecker, but Patrick is much more of a red zone threat than Philly’s current WR3, Jahan Dotson. and he could be worth a late-round pick if Detroit is dealing.