Without a doubt, this season was a complete disappointment for the Detroit Lions. Their fall from championship contenders to last place in the division has heightened the importance of this offseason. General manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell must make some difficult decisions regarding the coaching staff and roster, with the Lions having 26 free agents.
One of those free agents is defensive lineman Roy Lopez, who was one of the few bright spots in a gloomy season. In his lone season with the Lions, the five-year veteran quickly became a fan favorite and was tremendous in his reserve role behind linemen D.J. Reader and Alim McNeill. Reflecting on his time with Detroit, Lopez said, “I loved every minute of it.”
With Lopez having nothing but positive feelings about his short stint in Detroit, it leaves the door wide open for his return once free agency begins.
Lions Must Prioritize Re-Signing Lopez
When Lopez signed a one-year, $3.64 million contract with the Lions in the offseason, few expected him to make a significant impact. Since the Lions were crowded with a defensive line, the signing was viewed as a precaution to bolster the team’s depth in case of injury.
This turned out to be a smart decision by the Lions, as the injury woes from last season followed into this season, with numerous defensive players being placed on the injured reserve throughout the year. Lopez, however, played all 17 games and was a consistent contributor to the defense, recording 30 total tackles, two sacks, and 13 pressures.
While he wasn’t a starter like he was in his previous stints with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals, Lopez was heavily relied upon as a rotational player. Despite the Lions’ defense floundering against the run after the bye week, Lopez was one of the few players who excelled, receiving a 68.9 run defense grade per Pro Football Focus, which ranked 18th out of 134 interior defenders.
Even though he’s more known as a run defender, he displayed the capability of generating pressure inside with eight hurries and two quarterback hits. No question, Lopez outperformed his contract with the Lions and is deserving to capitalize on his terrific season.
Since this year’s free agency class doesn’t have a lot of depth at interior defender, that could put Lopez in line to secure a long-term deal. Although Lopez could secure more money elsewhere, his decision will likely come down to whether Detroit wants him back. It’s evident that Lopez loves playing for the Lions, and he proved to be an excellent signing. But with the Lions having numerous areas of need and ranking 21st in cap space according to Spotrac, it's unclear how aggressive they’ll be in re-signing him.
For the Lions, it should be a no-brainer to re-sign Lopez. With all the countless injuries they’ve sustained on defense, bringing back Lopez should be a top priority for them. Not only that, but he’s also been a terrific teammate and locker room presence that exemplifies what Lions’ football is all about.
A two-year, $10 million contract should be enough to retain Lopez and bolster their defensive line for the upcoming season.