The Lions return a key special teams starter and depth player at cornerback.
The Detroit Lions are bringing back cornerback Khalil Dorsey. The team announced on Thursday he has re-signed for the 2025 season, but did not offer any contract details.
Dorsey entered the league in 2020 as an undrafted prospect with the Baltimore Ravens . After a couple of years in Baltimore, Dorsey eventually found his way onto the Lions’ practice squad late in the 2022 season. Since then, his career has blossomed as a special teamer and depth cornerback. He played 248 special teams snaps in 2023 and 272 last year, including the important role of gunner and jammer on the punt teams.
“I mean, this guy’s an incredible player for us, obviously,” special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said last year. “Just watching the film this morning, even a rep of him on punt return holding up one of their gunners, did a great job for us. But he was a great player for us all year long obviously.”
Unfortunately, Dorsey suffered a brutal leg injury in Detroit’s Week 15 game against the Buffalo Bills . Dorsey broke his tibia and fibula, requiring him to get emergency surgery. However, he told the Detroit Free Press in January that he’s been through the injury wringer before and believes he’ll be back as strong as ever .
“I kind of know how to get to it and get through it, but it’s just trying to get that confidence back, trying to get that speed back,” Dorsey said. “That’s all I’m thinking about is trying to get to just being me. And that takes a little while.”
It’s unclear when Dorsey will be fully cleared of his injury—initial projections were four-to-six months—but the fact that the Lions have re-signed him is a good sign they expect him to contribute to the team this year.
Combined with Thursday’s signing of veteran Rock Ya-Sin , the Lions’ cornerback room is starting to come together. The following defensive backs are under contract for the 2025 season: D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Ya-Sin, Dorsey, and Stantley Thomas-Oliver.
Keep up to date on the latest Lions free agency moves with our 2025 Detroit Lions offseason tracker and contract/depth chart tracker .