Grading Lions Signing of DT Roy Lopez

The Detroit Lions' latest free agent addition is defensive tackle Roy Lopez, who comes to Motown after two years apiece with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals.

Entering the league as a sixth-round pick of the Houston Texans, Lopez has carved out a role as a traditional nose tackle. With 50 starts and 63 appearances to his credit, he has developed a durable reputation in his four NFL seasons.

Now, he joins the Lions' defensive line rotation that faces some questions regarding its depth. For starters, Alim McNeill suffered a season-ending injury late in the 2024 season and as a result his status for the beginning of the 2025 campaign is in question.

Levi Onwuzurike, who was a valuable player in the defensive tackle rotation, is currently still a free agent and may not return. However, both McNeill and Onwuzurike are players who line up in multiple spots along the defensive line, while Lopez is a more traditional nose tackle.

Detroit's starting nose tackle is DJ Reader, who is under contract through the end of the 2025 season. He is a potential cap casualty as the team would gain some benefits against the cap if they parted ways, however he's one of the best in the league at his position and it'd be more likely that the Lions hold onto him.

As a result, Lopez profiles as a rotational backup option that will lighten the load on Reader. He'll have the ability to compete for a bigger role due to the Lions' meritocracy. His proven ability likely slots him ahead of Brodric Martin, a nose tackle who spent his rookie season in 2023 largely as a healthy inactive and missed a large chunk of the 2024 campaign with an injury.

Lopez is a big, physical player who can clog up run lanes utilizing his wide frame. He also has some pass rush potential with 18 pressures and one sack a season ago. He earned a 67.4 Pro Football Focus pass rush grade for his performance last season, with that mark being his highest-graded category.