The Detroit Lions have taken a look at a familiar face from within the NFC North, giving former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Julian Hicks a workout on Sunday.
The move, first reported by Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, offers the 26-year-old another chance to stick in the NFL after time spent developing in Green Bay’s system and a brief stop in the Canadian Football League.
Hicks first joined the Packers as an undrafted free agent out of Albany in May 2024. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 201 pounds, he arrived with a productive college resume that included 72 receptions for 1,139 yards and 17 touchdowns across 23 games.
During his initial preseason with Green Bay, he recorded one catch for 23 yards and added a 14-yard run over three games. Waived at the final roster cutdown, he returned to the practice squad the next day and spent his rookie year there without seeing regular-season action.
The Packers brought him back for another look in 2025. Hicks posted five receptions for 31 yards on eight targets across three preseason contests but again failed to make the initial 53-man roster.
His connection to the organization continued into the following January, when Green Bay signed him to the practice squad ahead of its postseason push. Still, he never cracked the active roster during that stretch.
After leaving the Packers, Hicks headed north and signed with the Edmonton Elks of the CFL ahead of training camp.
The team released him on May 31 as part of final roster cuts, leaving him available once more. The Lions’ interest now places him in front of a divisional rival that Green Bay will face twice during the regular season.
Detroit’s receiver room already features established talent at the top. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams anchor the group, while Isaac TeSlaa returns after a six-touchdown rookie campaign and Greg Dortch provides slot experience and special-teams value.
The Lions made clear heading into camp that competition remains open at the back end of the depth chart, with the No. 5 receiver role potentially hinging on contributions beyond pure offense.
Recent roster movement, including the waiver of Lawrence Keys with an injury designation and the subsequent signing of Tarik Black, shows the team continues to evaluate options in that range.
No word has emerged yet on whether the Lions plan to offer Hicks a contract. A signing would insert another developmental candidate into a crowded competition as the preseason advances.
For Green Bay, it would mean seeing one of its recent practice-squad products working across the division. Hicks’ path so far has been one of persistence at the fringes of the roster, and this latest opportunity keeps that story moving forward.
