Detroit Lions fans didn't get to see a ton of sack celebrations this season.
The teams' pass rush was obviously missing a consistent punch, although, it's tough to find many teams that had two pass rushers post 14.5 sacks and 11.5 sacks, respectively. The numbers don't tell the whole story, though. The Lions struggled to get those sacks consistently, with those dominant defensive performances coming in bunches rather than spread out over the year.
But, one player stood out in the bunch of things thrown out by defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard: Roy Lopez. The veteran defensive lineman finished up the year with just two sacks on the season, but had 4.5 stuffs and 30 total tackles as a backup defensive tackle. He was fairly consistent, and most importantly, he played in all 17 games this season.
Lopez would love to come back to the Lions, and he's someone they should seriously consider bringing back on as an Alim McNeill replacement if they choose to shop McNeill and his hefty contract this offseason.
Lopez could be perfect McNeill replacement for Lions in 2026
Lopez, headed into his sixth season in the NFL, told reporters after the year had wrapped that he'd love to remain with the Lions headed into 2026.
"For sure, this place has been great for me. My lady loves it, so that's nice. It's been good for me, man. It's been good in the fact of it's such a great room I've been a part of. Being able to see routines on a weekly basis, whether it's Hutch (Aidan Hutchinson) and DJ (Reader) or whether it's Alim (McNeill). It's changed my career."
Lopez was signed to a one year, $3.5 million deal with the Lions prior to the 2025 season, and certainly seemed to perform to that deal and then some. According to Spotrac, Lopez is looking at the potential of doubling his 2025 deal in 2026 and beyond with a market value of $6.4 million annually.
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That's a drop in the bucket for the Lions if they managed to swing McNeill in a trade. While the defender made a huge return this season for Detroit, he had just one notable performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a contest where, basically, all defenders were eating. It was the fated "Legion of Whom" contest, and after that, McNeill was quite silent for the Lions on defense.
If Detroit's looking to save money ahead of major extensions, this could be a great move for them given Lopez's desire to return.