Here's a name that Detroit Lions fans haven't heard in a while. Former Lions fifth-round pick Quintez Cephus was released by the Rams on Wednesday.
Cephus was taken by the Bob Quinn Lions in the 2020 NFL Draft and showed some promise early in his career. He had 20 receptions for 349 yards and two touchdowns as the Lions' WR3 in his rookie year.
The hopes were that after the losses of Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, Cephus would take a step forward and be a bigger part of the Lions' receiving corps. Early on in the 2021 season, that looked like it was happening until he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. The following October, he suffered another injury.
In 2023, he was part of the group of Lions players who were suspended by the league for violating the league's gambling policy. Since he bet on NFL games, he was suspended for the entire 2023 season, and the Lions released him.
Since his reinstatement, he's had stints with the Bills, Texans, and Rams. He spent the entire 2024 season on the Rams' practice squad and was signed to a futures deal at the end of the year.
Since some Lions fans are likely to wonder about a return to Detroit for Cephus, it seems highly unlikely. While he's still just 27 years old, Cephus's time in Detroit is just not a fondly remembered one. From being a guy expected to possibly have a starting role to two injured seasons and a suspension. It's likely hard to see past that.
Plus, the Lions are pretty deep at receiver right now with guys like Isaac TeSlaa, Jackson Meeks, and Dominic Lovett all expected to step into roles currently held by veterans Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond. Two guys in the year of their deals.
