Before free agency opened this offseason, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes raised some eyebrows by revealing that he had been monitoring video of the team’s Week 3 victory over the Arizona Cardinals because he was interested in one of their players. That player turned out to be Roy Lopez, a defensive tackle.
The Lions signed him to a one-year contract worth $3.5 million to join a defensive line rotation that will likely be without Alim McNeil early in the season. According to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, the Lions should review the footage from their game against the Cardinals.
In an essay on a free agent who could still help each NFL team this offseason, Knox suggested that the Lions pursue former Cardinals edge Dennis Gardeck. A Gardeck signing would not be as good a fit for the Lions as the Lopez one was. The Lions require an upgrade at their second edge position because they do not currently have a reliable alternative in that post. Gardeck is not the solution to the problem. He has never played 50% of an NFL season and has only 17 sacks in his seven-year career.
If the Lions sign a veteran, he or she must be capable of starting opposite Aidan Hutchinson. If all they want is someone to add to the rotation for the 2025 season, they should search in the draft. The Lions should not be done with the edge position this offseason, but Gardeck isn’t the ideal fit for them.
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