The Detroit Lions went into the 2026 offseason looking for a familiar need in the form of a running mate for Aidan Hutchinson. They hope their latest addition can be the answer they have long sought on the open market.
Though D.J. Wonnum comes into the mix very underrated and on a relative bargain contract, he has proven himself to be a capable veteran pass rusher in the NFL. He's put up 30 total sacks in his six-year career, but has never gone for more than eight in a single season.
A factor that could help that along is getting to play alongside Hutchinson. Detroit's top pass rusher is one of the best in the game, which could allow Wonnum plenty of chances at one-on-one battles on the outside. He could put up more sacks as a result.
Wonnum isn't just looking to benefit from having a top-end talent around, though. He knows he can be a help as well, and impact Hutchinson's game in a very positive way statistically and otherwise.
"It creates a lot of opportunities, just the elite pass rusher and elite playmaker he is. It kind of gets him a lot more of the attention as far as the chips," Wonnum said. "Throughout my career, I've been getting chipped as well. I feel like what I bring will allow me to free him up. Obviously, he's going to free me up, but it allows me to free him up at times as well. I feel like we'll compliment each other well."
D.J. Wonnum's biggest goal is to help Lions over the top during playoffs
While Hutchinson might be the easier double-team candidate between the two on paper, Wonnum understands that if he is able to win his battles more often than not, it will force teams to look his way with more bodies and attention. That could give Hutchinson a chance to be even more productive than he usually is, which would be a major win for the Lions.
When it comes to Wonnum's personal goals in Detroit, it's easy to see he knows why he is coming to a veteran team. It's purely to make a postseason run, find a way to get Detroit into their first Super Bowl and win a championship rather than personal glory.
As Wonnum explained, at this stage of his career, he is focused on being a team player and filling a role for the franchise up front. Beyond that, he understands that the end game for such a veteran roster is always playing and winning on the final weekend of the season.
"Really just just making plays. Being the best defender that I can be for this team. Obviously helping us propel and get to that Super Bowl. We're really close. We got the guys to do that, so just getting to that Super Bowl, man. That's the biggest thing for me, and being able to do whatever coach (Kelvin) Sheppard and the guys need me to do on the field."
Arguably, Wonnum's biggest role will be to supplement pass-rush assistance and provide leadership. It sounds as if he understands what he will have to do in order to make those goals a reality. Don't be surprised if he offers a little bit more along the way to help his teammates as well.