Detroit Lions sign 2 receivers after minicamp tryout, release 2 tight ends

As the Detroit Lions wrap up rookie minicamp this weekend, two players performed well enough to earn themselves a contract with the team.

Wide receivers Tom Kennedy and Jordan Smallwood both played well enough over the weekend for the Lions to sign them on Sunday.

Kennedy—5-foot-11, 192 pounds—was a two-way athlete for Bryant University, playing both football and lacrosse for the Bulldogs.

He obviously fits the profile of a slot receiver in the NFL, and his career at Bryant includes a monster 2017 season: 57 catches, 888 yards and nine touchdowns.

As for Jordan Smallwood, he spent a couple of short stints on the Chiefs and 49ers last year after going undrafted in 2008, coming out of Oklahoma. He picked up two catches for 44 yards during the preseason finale last year for the Chiefs. He didn’t make the team, but would later find himself on the 49ers practice squad. He was released shortly after this year’s draft.

To make room for these two, the Lions released two tight ends: Nate Becker and Donald Parham. It’s a mild surprise to see Parham released, seeing as his huge frame—6-foot-8—made him an intriguing addition.