The Detroit Lions’ defensive line has been one of the key storylines of the offseason. With the fantasy of a Maxx Crosby trade fading, the Lions have made a few moves in the second wave of free agency, including the signing of former Carolina Panthers edge rusher D.J. Wonnum.
Wonnum adds some help against the run and a yeoman’s effort that frees up other players, but the holes in his game left some wiggle room for another addition. That player may have come on Friday when the Lions announced they have signed Payton Turner, who spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys.
A former first-round pick, signing Turner is a gamble by general manager Brad Holmes to create depth along the defensive line. However, his injury history and lackluster performance over his first five seasons in the NFL indicate there is more work to do if the Lions want to truly fix the problem.
Lions Still Need D-Line Help Despite Payton Turner Signing
Big things were expected of Turner when he was selected 28th overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2021 NFL draft. He failed to live up to those expectations after being limited to 31 total games due to injury.
With a torn ACL, knee, foot, and finger injuries already on his medical history before he entered the NFL, Turner suffered calf and shoulder injuries in his rookie season, chest and ankle injuries in his 2022 season, and a severe turf toe injury that limited him to two games in his 2023 campaign.
Even his healthiest season in 2024 featured a knee injury, and he wasn’t effective on the field, posting a 54.0 overall grade and just 13 pressures and two sacks on 189 pass-rushing snaps according to Pro Football Focus.
The relatively healthy campaign convinced the Dallas Cowboys to take a flier on Turner last spring. But that predictably ended when he suffered a hamstring injury during the preseason and did not play any of the 2025 season.
The Lions could sell themselves on Turner’s collegiate production, when he logged 115 total tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks in four seasons with the Cougars. Lions fans will want more, though, considering how this signing is most likely to bring back memories of the failed Marcus Davenport experiment.
With Wonnum and Aidan Hutchinson currently projected as starters, the Lions wouldn’t hurt themselves by adding another free agent lottery ticket. They could also add a pass-rusher in the draft, which could give them more upside than betting on another injury-riddled project to fix the problem.
Whatever the solution is, adding Turner isn’t good enough, and the Lions must keep their eyes open to get more out of the defensive line.