The Detroit Lions have endured plenty of departures already this offseason, especially on the defensive side of the ball. With that fact in mind, there are going to be more hard decisions to make ahead.
One of those shoes dropped in the evening of the first day of the tampering period. Defensive tackle Roy Lopez, who had signed with Detroit last March on a one-year deal, returned to the Arizona Cardinals on a new two-year pact for 2026.
It was a mild surprise to see the Lions allow Lopez to walk, especially considering how well he played and his fit within Detroit's culture and defense in 2025. Lopez chipped in 30 tackles and two sacks in 17 games, and was one of the more reliable options the Lions had in the trenches down the stretch.
Even such, there could be a method to the madness of Brad Holmes in this particular case. The Lions drafted Tyleik Williams in the first-round last year, largely as insurance policy for the rehabbing Alim McNeill. Williams played decent in the limited action he saw, and he could be ready for even more in 2026.
With McNeill theoretically now back to full strength, the Lions might not need another depth player like Lopez, and could instead turn their attention toward grooming Williams for a bigger role. Behind him, they could look to develop another draft pick along the defensive interior given they now have 10 selections at their disposal for this April.
Uncertainty with DJ Reader could also lead Lions to pursue draft upgrade
Lopez is far from the only veteran the Lions have on the roster to consider at defensive tackle. Reader is another player with a questionable role in Detroit for 2026, and the decision over whether to bring him back is currently being weighed significantly by the franchise's brass.
After signing as a free agent prior to 2024, Reader has played a pair of up and down seasons for the Lions at defensive tackle, but mum is the word on whether the franchise is considering bringing him back. As Reader told Kay Adams on "Up & Adams," he doesn't know if that's currently in the cards.
"I don't know if I'll get that chance. We'll see. Hopefully. I would love to. Love the people there. Love my guys, love my teammates. They've been talking to my agent I guess. I haven't had much personal communication (with them). That doesn't surprise me, it always goes one way or another with that personal communication. We'll see. I'd love (it). Wouldn't have to uproot (or) move around. It's not in my hands right now. Waiting to see what my options are."
READ MORE: Lions Free-Agency Tracker 2026: Signings, departures, cap space analysis, and more
The tea leaves in both the case of Lopez and Reader would seem to indicate the Lions want to go younger at defensive tackle. Given what they were able to accomplish with Williams last season, that might not be a big surprise.
Not only will Williams figure to take a step forward, the Lions could score another talented young player to throw into the developmental mix behind him. It could be the ideal way of keeping Detroit's defense young even as they remain a contender into the future.