Detroit Lions Terminate Contract of 8-Year NFL Veteran

The Detroit Lions have terminated the contract of wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr., ending a brief stay that began with a May signing and closed with a preseason injury settlement.

Wilson, 30, was waived from injured reserve Wednesday after reaching an injury settlement with the club.

The move came two days after Detroit placed him on IR with a left knee injury suffered in Saturday’s 17-13 preseason win over the Washington Commanders at Ford Field. Wilson caught consecutive passes for 4 and 17 yards in the first quarter before leaving the game on the next play.

Coach Dan Campbell said after the game he was “worried” about the knee and praised Wilson as “a smart, crafty football player” who could work multiple receiver spots and special teams. The injury effectively ended Wilson’s 2026 season in Detroit unless another team signs him after he passes a physical.

The Lions signed Wilson on May 20 to a one-year deal as veteran depth behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa and Greg Dortch.

At 6-foot-2, he added size to a crowded receiver room that also included later-round and undrafted options. He never appeared in a regular-season game for Detroit.

Wilson has been in the NFL since 2019. Dallas selected him in the sixth round of the 2018 draft out of Boise State, but a shoulder injury cost him his entire rookie year.

He debuted in 2019, playing six games and catching five passes for 46 yards. His peak came in 2021 with the Cowboys: 45 receptions, 602 yards and six touchdowns.

He later spent time with the Miami Dolphins (2022-23 and 2025) and New Orleans Saints (2024). Career totals through 2025 stand at 126 catches for 1,524 yards and 12 touchdowns in 93 games, plus limited work as a returner and occasional trick-play passer.

The release is typical late-August roster housekeeping. Teams often place injured players on IR and later cut them with settlements so the athlete can seek work elsewhere while the club clears a roster spot and cap space.

Wilson is now a free agent and can sign with another team once healthy.

For Detroit, the receiver depth chart remains intact at the top. The Lions will continue to evaluate younger and cheaper options as they finalize the 53-man roster.

Wilson’s short chapter in Detroit ends the same way many veteran depth signings do: a training-camp look, an untimely injury, and a quiet transaction.