Lions Sign Pass Rusher Depth

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Finally, the Lions have made a move outside of signing Reed. I know fans have been scratching at the bit for something to happen. Late yesterday the Lions signed former Cardinals defensive tackle Roy Lopez to a 1-year deal worth $4.65 million. Obviously, this is more of a depth move, but I like the signing.

Lopez, 27, was drafted in the 6th round by Houston in 2021. He then signed a 2 year deal with Arizona when he hit the market. In 4 seasons, he has 137 total tackles, and 3 sacks, which doesn’t blow you away, but he is a nose tackle after all. Standing at 6’2” 318 lbs, he’s about exactly the size you are looking for.

Now, Lopez won’t come to Detroit and be a game wrecker. However, I like the signing value and the fit. A Cardinals fan had this to say after the news broke:

It sounds like Lopez will fit well on the team, and in the locker room.

Lets get into what you came for; is Lopez any good?

He is a pass rushing nose tackle, with 12 total pressures last season on just 223 pass rush snaps, a pressure rate of 5.4%, per NFL Pro. He started the last 2 seasons in Arizona, where he played about half of the total defensive snaps. He will likely be the backup to DJ Reader, but I could see Lopez playing the obvious pass downs in his place. Per PFF, he has an overall grade of 54.9, a pass rush grade of 67.4, and a run defense grade of 45.5, but you should always take PFF grades with a grain of salt, they are decent but not the best way to evaluate players. On film, I didn’t see someone who is bad at defending the run by any means. He is a solid player overall, who could help our defense in a plethora of ways. He’s not *just* a pass rusher, so I expect him to be used as a pure rotational guy.

While watching film, some things stood out to me, namely his pass rush ability. He is not elite, but he can certainly get the job done. He also does a good job at maintaining leverage and gaps, which is exactly what you want from your interior defensive linemen. One play that really stood out to me was his sack vs Buffalo. He was doubled initially, but stayed aggressive with his hands and feet, once he had an opening he ultimately broke through the line for a strip sack on Josh Allen. It was his only sack of the season, but it shows what kind of pass rush potential he adds.

At the end of the day, Lopez is a solid rotational guy along the interior of the defense. He will add some needed juice, and is on a relatively cheap deal. I like the move, because he fits what we need, fits our culture, and our locker room. I am looking forward to bringing him in, and using him to get after quarterbacks.

Hopefully, this isn’t the last movie Detroit will make, but we will stay tuned. There are still some solid edge rushers available, so anything could happen. In Brad We Trust.

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