The Detroit Lions lost Roy Lopez and D.J. Reader in free agency, leaving some gaps along their defensive line that were going to be hard to fill. The team did have some good news on their side with respect to the health of both Alim McNeill and Levi Onwuzurike, though, so they didn't really have to worry about those holes for too long.
Another reason for them to not be concerned: they addressed some of their lack of depth on their defensive line by drafting both Tyre West and Skylar Gill-Howard on day 3 of the NFL draft this year. West, who had been reportedly eyed by the New York Jets and former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn prior to the draft, landed in the hands of Kelvin Sheppard, instead.
West has an uphill battle in camp, as he slates as more of an edge rusher than a defensive tackle. Still, if he can beat out the likes of Payton Turner and Tyler Lacy to directly backup Aidan Hutchinson, that's a huge win for West as a prospect, and a huge win for the Lions' scouting department.
West could utilize camp as an opportunity to play bigger than his draft positioning
West finished up his last year with the Volunteers with four sacks, 23 tackles, one pass defended, and one forced fumble through 12 games played. He is a huge presence on the line, something that the Lions lost with both Reader and Lopez departing in free agency, and he's a part of the concerted effort by the Lions' front office to add a lot more size to their defensive front this offseason.
From a piece written by team reporter Tim Twentyman on the change in philosphy for the Lions' defensive makeup:
"The first look at it it's like, 'Oh, it's changed over there.' That corner (of the field) you look at during individuals and there's a lot of big, long and tall," defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said of the unit on Thursday. "The thing that stands out to me is length. That's something we kind of attacked and we saw we needed."
READ MORE: Lions draft pick enters camp with a chance to make everyone look wrong
Watching tape of West, you're impressed by his size and willingness to attack linemen to get to the quarterback. Some of his weaknesses, per NFL draft expert Lance Zierlein, include his limited starting experience while with Tennessee, his stiffness when trying to change directions as a pass rusher, and how difficult its been for him to "stack and shed" linemen.
Of course, West needs time to adjust to NFL play and to NFL linemen, so it's unlikely he just comes into camp as any sort of prodigy as a pass rusher. He was taken in the 7th round - the expectations are low. But, with how much help the Lions need on the D-line, West has a shot to really make a name for himself in camp.
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