With Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at the top of the depth chart, it was never going to be easy for wide receiver Lucky Jackson to make an impact on the Minnesota Vikings when he joined the team in 2023.
Jackson ended up sticking around with the Vikings for the last three years, but he only appeared in a total of three games and spent most of his tenure on the team's practice squad.
Now, he will be attempting to see if he can catch on (pun possibly intended) with a different NFC North team, as he signed a contract with the Detroit Lions on Wednesday.
Former Minnesota Vikings WR Lucky Jackson signs with Detroit Lions
Ever since his college career at Western Kentucky University came to a close after the 2019 season, Jackson has been doing whatever he can to earn a living as a professional football player.
He got his first opportunity in the CFL in 2022 when he had short stints with both the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Edmonton Elks.
From there, Jackson suited up for the XFL's DC Defenders in 2023, and after hauling in 36 passes for 573 yards and five touchdowns, he caught the attention of Minnesota, who signed him before the start of the team's 2023 training camp.
Jackson had some solid numbers during three preseasons with the Vikings (12 catches, 129 yards), but as mentioned earlier, he only appeared in a total of three regular-season games during his tenure with Minnesota between 2023 and 2025.
After spending most of the 2025 NFL season without a team, Jackson took his talents back to the developmental level and signed with the Louisville Kings this past February.
It turned out to be a great decision, as Jackson finished the 2026 UFL campaign with 36 catches for 430 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games (including the playoffs).
His performance was clearly good enough to convince the Lions to sign him, and now, for the fourth year in a row, he'll get to see if he can finally enter a season as an active member of an NFL roster.
Add us as a preferred source on Google