The Detroit Lions keep losing valuable backups, with both DT Roy Lopez and backup QB Kyle Allen leaving on the first day of free agency. For Lopez, he's going back to his old stomping grounds in Arizona with a two-year, $11.5 million deal for the Cardinals. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero was first with that news.
As for Allen, it was reported that he'd be leaving for the Buffalo Bills to back up Josh Allen on a two-year, $6.1 million deal, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini. Allen handily won the backup job from Hendon Hooker last preseason, and now he's getting paid to backup one of the NFL's best quarterbacks.
These aren't necessarily huge losses for the Lions on paper, but depth is always key for teams vying for big postseason runs. Without backups who can start in a pinch, you're left with the roulette of either fielding a hidden talent, or fielding players without the skills necessary to actually hold their own.
Lions lose two key backups on first day of free agency
Detroit didn't have a completely lost day, with the team signing Cade Mays to a very bargain-friendly deal. It's anticipated that he can start at center for the Lions, solving a huge problem for them up the middle. The team also signed tackle Larry Borom, presumably as a replacement for Dan Skipper's role.
But, on the other side of the ball, there's been no movement. The team lost Alex Anzalone and Amik Robertson, and are now without Lopez to begin the 2026 season. All three were pretty vital to the Lions' defense, with the latter two really stepping up during a down year for Detroit. The teams' depth at both defensive tackle, as well as behind Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed, is looking slim.
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Additionally, the Lopez departure puts a lot of pressure on Alim McNeill to look back to form following a down season with the team. He was recovering from a torn ACL, to be fair, but the Lions were sorely missing his pass rushing capabilities. Lopez was a great solution to that lack of power from McNeill, and now, he's gone. And, there's no guarantee the team re-signs DJ Reader, their other veteran DT.
It feels like the draft might be the Lions' best bet to net some replacements for these replacements. You don't expect rookies to step in right away and start, and the Lions do have starting talent on their roster. It's just a matter of having a good bench, and cheap rookies can solve that issue for Brad Holmes and the cap-strapped Lions.