One of the closest battles in the Detroit Lions training camp is for the final wide receiver roster spots, and two UFL wide receivers are battling it out this weekend.
Two UFL Wide Receivers Locked In Fierce Battle for Detroit Lions’ Final Roster Spot
Dan Campbell has made no secret of the fact that he wants his players to fight for their roster spot. Detroit already has one of the NFL’s top receiving rooms led by All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown and two-time 1,000 plus-yard receiverJameson Williams. However, with two preseason games remaining, two UFL wide receivers are locked into a fierce battle for the Lions' final roster spot.
Detroit’s Overcrowded Wide Receiver Room
It’s expected that NFL veteran Greg Dortch and second-year talent Isaac TeSlaa will be Detroit's WR3 and WR4, leaving the remaining slot (or slots) up for grabs among seven receivers. The competition among the remaining wide receivers includes Louisville Kings’ Tarik Black and Lucky Jackson, Columbus Aviators’ Tay Martin. Their competition includes NFL veteran Cedrick Wilson Jr., Detroit veteran Tom Kennedy, along with Lions' Dominic Lovett and Malik Cunningham. Currently, based on last week’s snap allocation and coach Dan Campbell’s comments, the fiercest competition seems to be between Martin and Black. Here’s how the two players stack up against each other.
Tarik Black, Deep Ball Threat
There is no better way for a player to demonstrate his value to an NFL team than by putting points on the board, and Black did exactly that in the first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. He was one of the Lions’ stars after catching Detroit’s only touchdown.
Black’s stunning 24-yard score from rookie quarterback Luke Altmyer was one of the highlights in the team’s 16-14 loss to the Bengals and demonstrated his prowess as a deep ball threat. However, it was also a personal victory for Black, who has been trying to gain a foothold in the NFL for the past five years without much success.
Black's Early NFL Experience
A former Wolverine, Black was a 6’3”, 213 lb. four-star recruit who began his college career at the University of Michigan before transferring to Texas for his final year of eligibility. Appearing in 29 collegiate games for Texas (2020) and Michigan (2017-19), Black recorded 50 receptions for 747 yards (14.9 avg.) with three touchdowns.
Ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, NFL draftbuzz.com noted his willingness to go up and attack the ball and praised his ability to snatch balls out of the air and “make acrobatic catches look easy."
NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein highlighted his “ability to elude the tackle and get up the field after catch.”
However, Black wasn’t selected in the Draft, and he subsequently signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a UDFA the following month. He spent the next few months on the practice squad until his release in late November. Signed two weeks later by the New York Jets, Black made his NFL debut in Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills. Targeted twice by Jets quarterback Zach Wilson, he recorded one reception for 10 yards.
The Jets were impressed enough to sign him to a reserve /future contract for the following season. But Black was relegated to the practice squad, where he remained until his release in early December. Over the next few years, he bounced around the NFL, spending time on the practice squads of the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Miami Dolphins before signing with the Kings in 2026.
An Impressive UFL Debut
Making his UFL debut with Louisville, Black's talent for quickly getting upfield soon became apparent, and he became quarterback Chandler Rogers’ favorite deep ball threat. Despite missing one game with a minor hamstring injury, he recorded 31 receptions for 459 yards with three touchdowns with the Kings. Now, chasing his dream of an NFL career, Black’s best opportunity may hinge on his performance on special teams.
When asked about how players who may be far down the depth chart can boost their chances of becoming a rostered player, Lions' special teams coordinator Dave Fipp explained how being able to contribute on special teams can be the deciding factor.
“I tell the players now, 'You're going to make the team probably in two phases. You're going to have to play on offense and special teams or defense and special teams...I think for the most part, we're looking for guys who can help in all areas. And we end up playing a lot of players throughout the course of the year. When they ask my opinion on guys, I'm going to give them my opinion and tell them to the best of my knowledge what I think and how a guy will play for us.”
Asked specifically who stood out for him recently in the wide receiver unit, Fipp singled out all three of the UFL players.
“I think the wide receiver spot's very, very competitive. You've got (Tay) Martin, you've got (Tarik) Black, you've got Lucky Jackson who's made some plays. And these are all down the line guys.”
However, he identified Martin as "someone who jumped off the film every day."
Tay Martin, Impressing On Special Teams Ability
Martin, a 28-year-old Oklahoma State football player who previously attended Washington State, may be Black’s biggest competition for the final roster spot. Like Black, Martin was a UDFA who bounced around the NFL for several years before making his UFL debut with the Aviators. During his time in the NFL, Martin had opportunities with the San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans, and the Washington Commanders. It was during his time with the Titans that Martin made his NFL debut during Week 18 of the 2024 season. Catching a 49-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Will Levis, Martin made the most of his first NFL reception.
Signed to the Titans roster ahead of the 2025 preseason, Martin suffered an undisclosed injury in May that landed him on injured reserve. Released from Tennessee with an injury settlement, Martin was signed to the Commanders' practice squad in July of 2025. Martin was elevated to the active roster and appeared in three games for Washington but was released in October.
Chosen by the Aviators in the 2026 UFL player draft, Martin compiled a record of 42 passes for 482 yards with two touchdowns in 10 games. His longest catch went for 52 yards.
Martin entered the Lions' training camp with a slight advantage over Black, given that he has more NFL experience. Since then, he's continued to impress the coaching staff. Martin played 30 snaps on offense (45%) and 7 snaps on special teams for 28% compared to Black's 16 snaps (24%) on offense and seven snaps (28%) on special teams. He caught his only target at Cincinnati, a 14-yard reception.
However, according to Pro Football Focus, he was Detroit's highest-rated special teams player with a 79.9. In addition, on offense, Martin also did well as a run blocker, recording a 78.3.
Martin knows his ability to block in the run game is a trait the Lions value. In an interview with the Detroit News, Martin explained his approach to the run blocking game.
"The will, the mentality to go in there and do what you've got to do to get that guy out of there," Martin said of what it takes to successfully block at receiver. "It's me or him. Just going in there with that mentality to help my team as much as I can. When I've got a blocking play, I'm trying to do what I can for the team, any time I get that."
Coach Campbell acknowledges the fierce competition among the wide receivers.
“Yeah. That room right now is interesting. Tay Martin showed up again, blocking, made a one-on-one catch, separated, special teams. He forced a penalty, and that was just one play on special teams. He made more than that. In the return units and the cover units, I thought (Tarik) Black showed up, made some plays. He's intriguing…. So, I mean, those guys, that room right now, it's an all-out (battle) right now. So, it's pretty exciting.”
The Lions Training Camp Battle Continues
Campbell admitted that with two preseason games remaining, the battle is ongoing, and for players who may be on the roster bubble, there is an expectation of what the coaches need to see from those individuals.
“Yeah...we make that very clear to our players what we expect and where we think they should be and kind of where they stand with the other players to an extent. Because I want to make sure some of these guys know, ‘Look, you're not in right now. You may think you're in, you're not in and this is why you're not in, this is what we need.’ Because it's not fair to them if you don't give it to them. And it doesn't make it easy, but it's the right thing to do."
In addition to scoring the touchdown, another point in Black's favor is that although he was briefly released from the roster earlier in training camp, he was immediately re-signed once there was an opening. The coaching staff liked what they saw from him and wanted to see more.
Campbell clarified that what they're looking for in young players is growth and progress. What have they learned, and can they apply it when the stadium lights are on?
"And tell them where they can improve, what they can do, and where they stand. And that's all you can ask for because you may not like it, but you can respect it...I just love the competitiveness of a lot of these young guys we've got. You just feel like there's a lot of these guys that, man, they may have a chance. And if they do, they may belong, but just because of the nature of the way they're wired and how they compete. But we’ve still got time, I mean, we’ve got two weeks here, and there's some guys we don't know a lot about. Guys that we like, we think we like, but we don't know. They've been hurt, or they've been injured, or they haven't been put in a certain situation. So, it's still going."
Right now, with his special teams ability, Martin holds the advantage over Black. But this battle isn't over yet. Two more weeks. Two more preseason games. The next opportunity for an outstanding performance is Saturday at 12:00 pm EDT when the Lions take on the Washington Commanders. Hopefully, at least one of these talented UFL standouts will make the Lions' roster.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jeff Nguyen /Detroit Lions AP