Lions get another injury break as Mekhi Wingo comes off PUP list

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo has been taken off the PUP list and is practicing for the first time this offseason per multiple Lions beat reporters. Wingo, a 22 year old tackle drafted just last year by Detroit, has been out since tearing his meniscus during the 2024 season.

Detroit could use all the depth and help they can get on the defensive line with injuries to Alim McNeil and Levi Onwuzurike haunting their depth chart. With additional injury to Ahmed Hassanein, getting Wingo back is a huge boost for the Lions' needs at pass rush and at run blocking. Without Hassanein, Detroit is suddenly thin at the EDGE despite getting back Aidan Hutchinson this season.

While no decision has been made about Hassanein yet after it was revealed he had suffered a pectoral muscle injury against the Miami Dolphins, the Lions can at least deliver good news regarding Wingo and their defensive depth.

Wingo removed from PUP list, practicing Tuesday

Wingo adds an interesting type of depth to the Lions' pass rush as a tackle. Last season, he was seen as a bit of a dual threat by general manager Brad Holmes after he was taken in the 6th round. Wingo is a tackle, to be sure, but his size (6 feet tall at 288 pounds per ESPN) doesn't speak to what you'd usually see from a tackle.

On the contrary - Wingo was seen as a potential pass rushing threat by Holmes and the Lions' defensive coaching staff. He showed a lot of stuff in his first preseason game in 2024, impressing the Lions with just how well he carried himself as a neophyte pass rusher.

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This is a huge boost for Detroit, especially if they're unable to reach a deal with free agent defensive end Za'Darius Smith. The two sides seem keen on getting something done eventually, but right now it just looks like a game of chicken. Who will blink first: the pass rush needy Lions with plenty of cap room for 2025, or a lifeline-needy Smith who is looking to continue his NFL career?

Now, the Lions will look to ramp Wingo back up to game speed. It's unclear whether he'll suit up for their final preseason bout against the Houston Texans this Saturday, but he'll very likely make the 53-man roster at the expense of one of the more impressive rookie pass rushers this season - Isaac Ukwu or Keith Cooper Jr. come to mind.

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