Al-Quadin Muhammad, the Lions' EDGE2 who had an 11.5 sack season next to Aidan Hutchinson in 2025, just left in free agency for a new deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Per Ian Rapoport, the deal is worth $6 million for one year with the Buccaneers. Muhammad is also reuniting with another key member of the Lions' 2025 defense, Alex Anzalone, in the NFC South.
With that departure, the Lions are down to Hutchinson, the promise of Ahmed Hassanein, and Tyler Lacy in their pass rusher room. That's...not quite what you'd expect from Detroit after it was painfully obvious that they were missing a legitimate, additional presence on their defensive line to generate pocket pressure.
That's exactly how former Detroit Lions guard T.J. Lang also feels, vocalizing his confusion about Detroit's approach to free agency through one week of action:
6M? That’s it? Maybe the Lions plan to reinvent the game of football and just go with 3 DL the entire season. https://t.co/6VQeIcJorW
— Teej. (@TJLang70) March 12, 2026
T.J. Lang says what all Lions fans are thinking about defensive line
It does feel like Detroit might be trying to rely on help from Alim McNeill and even Tyleik Williams this season as it pertains to their pass rush, especially since McNeill had been the best pocket disruptor Detroit had next to Hutchinson before they signed Muhammad. But, do they really believe that one of Lacy or Hassanein are going to develop into ideal EDGE2 options in the starting lineup?
Of course, they have the draft as an option to find another potential starter next to Hutchinson. That might be the plan after all, especially with how cheaply Muhammad ended up going for on the market. It was anticipated that he'd be getting a huge payday after an 11.5 sack season, but instead, he goes to Tampa Bay for what feels like a steal.
READ MORE: Latest Lions mock draft forecasts an Alex Anzalone replacement
The Lions could've matched that, and they didn't. Either there's a bigger deal coming down the road for the team, or they're just biding their time until the NFL Draft where they could take a starting caliber pass rusher in the first or second round. And also address their hole at left tackle. And also find a decent linebacker. And so on.
We see the issue. We also understand that major extensions are coming up for several core players, and their cap spending reflects that. However, it's hard to imagine them being competitive in the postseason without their defensive line figured out. A fourth place schedule could be a cakewalk. The postseason could be an eyeopener.