The Lions signed Peoples-Jones to the practice squad Thursday.
Peoples-Jones didn't manage to stick with Detroit's initial 53-man roster, but he'll continue his development with the team and remain in house as a pivot option. The 2020 sixth-round pick is coming off the worst season of his career, but he did pile up a 61-839-3 receiving line with the Browns back in 2022. He figures to be one of the first names called up in the regular season if the Lions suffer any injuries to their wide receiver corps.
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Donovan Peoples-Jones: Let go by Detroit
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The Lions are releasing Peoples-Jones on Monday, Jordan Schultz of BleacherReport.com reports.
Peoples-Jones, who played in eight regular-season games for Detroit last season after being acquired via trade, couldn't show enough in his first offseason with the team to stick on the 53-man roster. The 2020 sixth-round pick now will need to search for an opportunity to latch on elsewhere in the league.
The Lions activated Peoples-Jones (undisclosed) off the active/non-football injury list Wednesday.
Peoples-Jones didn't miss much of training camp before getting healthy, and he's now been cleared to join his teammates on the practice field. The 2020 sixth-round pick is coming off the worst season of his NFL career, having played just 72 offensive snaps in 2023 across eight appearances. He appears set to battle for a roster spot during training camp and the preseason.
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Lions' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Starts camp on NFI list
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The Lions placed Peoples-Jones on the active/non-football injury list for the start of training camp Wednesday due to an unspecified injury or illness.
Despite playing just 72 snaps on offense in his eight regular-season appearances with Detroit after he was traded from Cleveland at the end of October, Peoples-Jones re-signed with the Lions this offseason. Once healthy, Peoples-Jones presumably will need to fight for a roster spot.
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Donovan Peoples-Jones: Staying in Detroit
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Peoples-Jones has agreed on a one-year, $2 million deal to re-sign with the Lions. Jordan Schultz of BleacherReport.com reports.
Peoples-Jones played seven games with the Browns in 2023 before finishing the second half of the season in Detroit. He finished the regular season with 13 receptions on 25 targets for 155 yards between both teams. The 25-year-old will now look to solidify a role for himself as a pass catcher during the offseason, but he also has the potential to contribute as a returner on special teams.
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Lions' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Big step back in fourth season
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Peoples-Jones caught 13 passes (on 25 targets) for 155 yards over 15 regular-season games in 2023.
Peoples-Jones began the year as a near every-down player in Cleveland, where he produced 97 yards in seven games. Upon being dealt to Detroit, the Michigan product only topped 20 percent of the offensive snaps in one game when Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond (knee) got banged up. Peoples-Jones then was barely used in the playoffs, not seeing a single target or more than six offensive snaps in any of three games. Now set to become an unrestricted free agent, he may need to find a new team to help him rediscover his 2022 form when he totaled 839 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 17 games.
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Lions' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Makes catch in limited role
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Peoples-Jones caught one pass for five yards during Saturday's win over the Broncos.
Logging 16 percent of the offensive snaps, Peoples-Jones is not even remotely close to possessing the near-ever-down role he had in Cleveland to start the year. With Jameson Williams' role increasing as he starts to operate as the No. 2 receiver behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, the only path for Peoples-Jones enjoying additional opportunity seems to be if Detroit wants to decrease Josh Reynolds' role even more than in recent weeks. Given Reynolds' recent production and history with quarterback Jared Goff, it seems unlikely that will happen anytime soon.
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Lions' Donovan Peoples-Jones: No opportunties in passing game
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Peoples-Jones was not targeted with a pass during Thursday's loss to the Packers.
Peoples-Jones logged two snaps on offense and seven on special teams during his Lions debut last week against Chicago. While he has yet to catch a pass in Honolulu Blue, it feels like progress that Peoples-Jones more than tripled his offensive snaps while being taken off of special teams entirely. However, considering the Lions needed to run 84 offensive plays, it's possible that Detroit was just easing the burden on Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds and Jameson Williams. Next up is a Week 13 matchup with the Saints.
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Lions' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Inactive Sunday
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Peoples-Jones (ribs) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Chargers.
The Lions traded for Peoples-Jones before their Week 9 bye, and he'll sit this one out after being limited at practice this week. In Peoples-Jones' absence, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond and Antoine Green are available to handle the team's WR duties.
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Lions' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Limited again Thursday
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Peoples-Jones (ribs) remained limited in Thursday's practice.
Acquired from the Browns at the trade deadline, Peoples-Jones is looking to make his Lions debut this week against the Chargers after Detroit was on its bye in Week 9. If active, Peoples-Jones will likely play a deep-threat, sub-package role behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds while competing for snaps with Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond.
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Lions' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Tending to rib issue
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Peoples-Jones was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice report due to a rib injury.
When the Lions acquired Peoples-Jones from the Browns at the trade deadline last Tuesday, Peoples-Jones wasn't tending to a health concern. Detroit also happened to be on a Week 9 bye, so the current rib issue may have popped up during his physical. It's not exactly the best way to begin his stint with a new squad, and it could affect his ability to make inroads in the passing game right away, especially in a receiving corps with experienced options Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond as well as second-year pro Jameson Williams. In the end, People-Jones' status will be one to monitor as the week goes on to see if he'll be able to make his debut with the Lions on Sunday at the Chargers.
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Lions' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Moving to Motor City
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The Browns traded Peoples-Jones to the Lions on Tuesday in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Peoples-Jones hasn't been lacking in snaps this season, logging at least an 80 percent share in six of seven games. But the ground-based Browns haven't prioritized the passing game as much with Deshaun Watson missing a good portion of the campaign due to a shoulder injury. Overall, Peoples-Jones has gathered in eight of 18 targets for 97 yards and no touchdowns. With the Lions, he'll be facing fair more competition for snaps with all of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond in the wide receiver room.
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Browns' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Another subdued week
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Peoples-Jones caught two of three targets for 22 yards and returned three punts for 22 yards in Sunday's 39-38 win over Indianapolis in Week 7.
Peoples-Jones caught more than one pass for just the second time in six games, as the fourth-year veteran has seen his targets squeezed in 2023. Cleveland's passing offense hasn't taken flight as expected, and Peoples-Jones has failed to establish chemistry with any of the team's quarterbacks -- Deshaun Watson (shoulder), PJ Walker or Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He's caught eight of 18 targets for 97 yards through six games.
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Browns' Donovan Peoples-Jones: One catch in loss
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Peoples-Jones caught one of four targets for seven yards and returned three punts for 24 yards in Sunday's 28-3 loss to the Ravens.
It wouldn't be accurate to say that Peoples-Jones' production suffered with rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center instead of Deshaun Watson (shoulder), as the wideout hasn't seen more than four targets in any game this season and managed a single catch in three of four contests. Peoples-Jones leads Cleveland's wideouts in snaps but has just 14 targets after four weeks. The Browns are off in Week 5.
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Browns' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Logs two targets in Week 1
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Peoples-Jones caught one of two targets for 12 yards and returned three punts for 15 yards in Sunday's 24-3 win over the Bengals in Week 1.
Peoples-Jones led the wideouts in offensive snaps (64, 89 percent share) but was behind both Amari Cooper (seven targets) and Elijah Moore (seven) in terms of opportunities. The Browns didn't unveil any new focus on their passing attack, as the ground game behind Nick Chubb and Jerome Ford reasserted its dominance on a rainy day in Cleveland. The team's run/pass mix favored the rush, 58 percent to 42 percent.
The Browns envision third-round draft pick Cedric Tillman as an eventual replacement for Peoples-Jones, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Peoples-Jones is coming off his best season, but an already loaded wideout corps got more crowded after the Browns added Tillman, a big-bodied X receiver that could excel in the red zone. It's unlikely Tillman has a big role at the start of the 2023 season, but a more pass-centric offense could provide him snaps to showcase the promise Cleveland sees in him. Despite the hype surrounding the draft pick, Peoples-Jones is expected to be one of the top three on the depth chart, along with Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore.
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Browns' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Makes most of one reception
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Peoples-Jones recorded one reception on three targets for 13 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-10 win over the Commanders.
The Browns had a run-oriented offensive game plan, as Deshaun Watson attempted only 18 passes. Peoples-Jones had little opportunity as a result, but he managed to catch a 13-yard touchdown late in the third quarter after failing to haul in his first two targets of the contest. He now has two touchdowns in his last three games and three total for the season.
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Browns' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Not in sync with QB
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Peoples-Jones caught one of five targets for two yards in Saturday's 17-10 loss to the Saints.
Peoples-Jones had been the most productive receiver since Deshaun Watson took over as the starting quarterback, averaging five catches on six targets for 63 yards in three games with Watson, but the duo was not in sync Saturday. Given the nature of the Browns' struggling passing offense, Peoples-Jones may not be a good option for fantasy teams still in the hunt, but he's established himself as a viable NFL receiver in his third season.
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Browns' Donovan Peoples-Jones: WRs to Sit
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Peoples-Jones had a huge game in Week 13 at Houston, but it was because of his 76-yard punt return for a touchdown. Otherwise, he had a limited role in the passing game with three catches for 44 yards on three targets. I expect better production moving forward with Deshaun Watson, but I want to see it first before starting Peoples-Jones in the majority of leagues. The Bengals are also No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, so it could be a tough game for Peoples-Jones and Amari Cooper in Week 14.
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Browns' Donovan Peoples-Jones: Big impact in win
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Peoples-Jones caught all three of his targets for 44 yards and returned three punts for 86 yards, including a 76-yard return for a touchdown, in Sunday's 27-14 win over Houston.
Peoples-Jones provided a spark for the Browns with his punt return late in the second quarter to give Cleveland a lead it did not relinquish. The Texans were ahead 5-0 at the time in what was a sleepy affair for the Browns' offense, which was being quarterbacked by Deshaun Watson for the first time. Peoples-Jones' punt-return touchdown was the first for Cleveland since 2015. The wideout has developed into a reliable No. 2 receiver this season and has taken hold of the punt return chores after several others failed to do so.
