Lions 2026 Free Agency: Lucky Jackson WR, Tarik Black WR, Tay Martin WR
The Lions add four UFL stars to the team
The Lions signed four star WR’s out of the UFL (United Football League) in mid-June - Lucky Jackson, Tarik Black, Tay Martin, and Lawrence Keys. The team correspondingly placed 5th-round rookie WR Kendrick Law (ACL) on reserve/injured and waived recently-signed WR Kyre Duplessis.
Below are the medical reports for Jackson, Black, and Martin. (Keys will show up in a future report since he was a later signing.) What is the common link of these three new signings? They are all veteran WR’s in their late 20’s, and they may all be in competition for a single returner position.
Given that these players have been in and out of the NFL, publicly reported injury information is going to be scant. For a full breakdown of the 2026 free agency, visit my Lions Free Agency 2026 Page.
Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Lucky Jackson, WR (29)
Medical Concern Level: 0/10
2023 (Vikings): 3 games played.
I found no reported injuries for Jackson. His pro career mainly involves bouncing around to various CFL and XFL teams, with a brief stint in the NFL. His college history shows good reliability in his four years at Western Kentucky.
There isn’t anything to be concerned about from a medical standpoint except for his age which is approaching 30.
In 2026 with the UFL Louisville Knights, Jackson had a highly productive season with 38 receptions for 440 yards. He added 13 punt returns with an 11.8 yards per return average.
Tarik Black, WR (28)
Medical Concern Level: 2/10
2024: Waived with hamstring injury.
2021 (Jets): 1 game played.
2018 College (Michigan): Right foot fracture
2017: Left foot fracture
Two foot fractures in college is notable for Black, but he’s been generally healthy since then. It’s unknown the exact type of foot fractures, but a common one is a Jones fracture. There is some concern of a recurrence if he earns an increased workload with the Lions.
His NFL career involves many short stays with various teams, with minimal game experience.
In 2026 with the UFL Louisville Knights, Black had an excellent year with 31 receptions for 459 yards.
Tay Martin, WR (28)
Medical Concern Level: 0/10
2025 (Commanders): 3 games played. Hamstring injury prior to the season.
2024 (Titans): 1 game.
2023 (49ers): 1 game
2022 (49ers): 2 games
Other than a hamstring injury last year, Martin appears to be clean. He was able to return from the hamstring to play three NFL games along with the UFL season, so there isn’t any concern here.
In his five-year college career at Oklahoma State and Washington State, Martin was generally reliable having played in 13 games in 4 of 5 seasons.
Martin has a fair amount of NFL game experience over the past few seasons, which might give him a leg up in the competition.
In 2026 with the UFL, Martin led the Columbus Aviators with 42 receptions for 483 yards.