The Detroit Lions made a notable signing on Tuesday night when the team announced edge rusher D.J. Wonnum had agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal. The move makes a key addition to a defensive line that needed help across from star Aidan Hutchinson, but also falls short of the impact acquisition Lions fans have been calling for.
With just seven of his 30 career sacks coming over the past two seasons with the Carolina Panthers and a severe quad injury suffered toward the end of the 2023 season, it’s understandable if fans have flashbacks of Marcus Davenport running through their brain.
But while EDGE is associated with the pass rush, Wonnum’s signing could be more about the Lions’ desire to defend the run better in 2026.
D.J. Wonnum Signing Shows Lions Are Serious About Improving Run Defense
The Lions were solid but not spectacular against the run last season. Although Detroit finished 14th with 114.5 rushing yards allowed per game, opponents ran the ball efficiently, with their 4.4 yards per carry allowed ranking 24th last season.
While no single player was the reason the Lions struggled, the difference between Wonnum and Al-Quadin Muhammad, who signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, is a large one.
Mike Payton of A to Z Sports noted that Muhammad played 457 snaps last year; however, only 83 were against the run. Conversely, Wonnum played 745 snaps for the Carolina Panthers, with 291 snaps against the run.
Pro Football Focus slants the comparison further into Wonnum’s favor.
Wonnum’s 19 run stops would have led Lions’ edge rushers last season and his 6.8% run stop rate, defined by PFF as the rate a tackle prevents an offense from gaining “less than 40% of required yards on first down, less than 50% on second down or any third or fourth-down stop,” would have been the second highest behind Tyler Lacy’s 7.4%.
By comparison, Muhammad had just two run stops on 83 snaps against the run last season. His run stop rate of 2.4% also would have been the lowest among Detroit’s edge rushers, signaling a clear weakness in his game. Of course, Lions fans will take that if it comes with 11 sacks like it did last season.
The Lions were a shallow group at edge rusher last season after Davenport spent another season on the sideline due to injury. While Muhammad stepped up, there wasn't anybody to complement him, forcing the pass rush to often lean on him and Hutchinson, without a defender behind them to stop the run.
Wonnum solves the run defense part of the equation as a solid three-down player. With that in mind, it wouldn't be shocking if general manager Brad Holmes wanted to further bolster the defensive line's depth with more low-risk, high-reward signings in the coming weeks.
The Lions’ plan to improve the defensive line is becoming clear, and it could put the wheels in motion as the second wave of free agency continues before the 2026 NFL draft arrives next month.