The Lions tried to trade tight end Michael Roberts to the Patriots, but the deal was rescinded last Friday and Roberts was placed on waivers instead.
Now Roberts will be headed to one of Detroit’s divisional rivals instead. The NFL’s daily transaction report brings word that the Packers have claimed Roberts and added him to their 90-man roster.
The Packers did not have to make a corresponding move because they held a spot open after waiving running back Kapri Bibbs last week.
Roberts was set to join the Patriots in exchange for a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick after the two teams agreed on trade terms last week, but the Lions announced the deal was off on Friday afternoon. Roberts was a 2017 fourth-round pick by the Lions and caught 13 passes in his two seasons with the team.
He joins a depth chart topped by Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan and third-round pick Jace Sternberger. The Packers also recently claimed Pharoah McKever off of waivers from the Jaguars.