After failing to qualify for the postseason in 2025, the Detroit Lions have attacked the offseason in hopes of fortifying this roster and getting back on the path of winning that had become so familiar in the Motor City.
While it is the new additions who always garner the most attention from fans and media alike, holdovers from the 2025 campaign have been directly impacted by those acquisitions, with second-year defensive end Ahmed Hassanein now facing an even tougher climb to becoming part of the edge rotation with veteran D.J. Wonnum joining the fray on a one-year, $3 million deal.
With Wonnum seeming like the obvious choice to slide into the defensive end slot opposite All-Pro Aidan Hutchinson, Hassanein could ultimately be the odd man out at the position. Given his durability, this is not a job that Wonnum is likely to give up, barring some unforeseen injury, as the former South Carolina standout has appeared in at least 14 games in all but one of his six seasons in the NFL.
D.J. Wonnum's Presence Makes Ahmed Hassanein's Path to PT Difficult
Hassanein's selection by Detroit in the 6th round of the 2025 draft led to the former Boise State Broncos star quickly becoming a fan favorite in the Motor City. Unfortunately, injury issues derailed his rookie campaign before it ever had a chance to get off the ground, as a pectoral injury forced the Lions' hand and left the defender among the releases before the roster was finalized out of training camp in August.
With Wonnum, as well as fellow veteran Payton Turner, taking their respective talents to Detroit, the path to playing time is now murkier than it was just a handful of weeks ago at the start of the free agent period.
While Hassanein will have his opportunity to prove his worth on the field throughout the offseason program and into training camp, the deck is undoubtedly stacked against him more than it would have been at the start of his true rookie year. Wonnum's 30 career sacks, along with the five Turner has recorded during his time in the NFL, provide the NFC North contender with proven production off the edge, something Hassanein cannot offer at this stage of his career.
If there is one glimmer of hope that Hassanein can hold onto, however, it is that the Lions were, essentially, a two-man band when it came to getting pressure on the QB last year. Half of that tandem, Al-Quadin Muhammad, helped the aforementioned Hutchinson to 25.5 total sacks, more than half of Detroit's team total of 49.5.
With Muhammad off to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there is a distinct need off the edge, and, given his aggressive tendencies as a head coach, it would not seem out of the realm of possibility to suggest that Dan Campbell will want as many capable pass rushers as he can have at his disposal this fall.
Granted, this isn't to say Hassanein has no chance of contributing to this defense in 2026. Instead, his path to doing so is just a tad more complicated than it looked this time last month.