When Al-Quadin Muhammad surprisingly didn’t return to the Motor City and signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Tampa Buccaneers during the first week of free agency, folks wondered what the Detroit Lions would do to replace the production.
Would the Lions go after a Joey Bosa or Jadeveon Clowney? Or would Detroit take the Marcus Davenport route, which didn’t work out the last two seasons? Detroit signed D.J. Wonnum to a one-year, $3 million deal early last week, which was a good pickup. But then the Lions turned around and signed veteran defensive end Payton Turner.
The move was not well-liked as it looked like the quintessential Brad Holmes special. Sign a player with risks like Davenport, and hope that you hit the jackpot. At the time of the signing, it wasn’t clear how much the Lions gave Turner. However, Aaron Wilson of KPRC-2 reported that the veteran defender received $1.145 million from Detroit, aka the veteran minimum.
Payton Turner Signing Could Be Blessing in Disguise for Lions
It seems as if Holmes has learned his lesson from the Davenport debacle after giving him two contracts for a total of $9 million, and only getting minimal production in return (seven QB hits, 1.5 sacks, and a tackle for loss across 10 games).
With Turner only getting a veteran’s minimum, Detroit can quickly cut ties if things don’t work out in training camp or at the end of the preseason. Jimmy Liao pointed out on Twitter that Turner's deal has no guaranteed money, which makes this move even better for the Lions.
However, there's a small caveat with the veteran's contract. Liao mentions that Turner's full-season salary contract will become guaranteed if he's still on the team as a vested veteran. Looking at the Lions' depth chart at DE, Turner has a good shot at making the 53-man roster. In theory, that should give Turner all the motivation he needs to make waves in training camp.
Nonetheless, the 27-year-old defensive lineman has a lot to prove after missing all of last season with a hamstring injury that he sustained in the preseason.
Injuries have become a huge thorn in Turner’s side throughout his NFL career. The former first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints has played in 31 total games in five seasons. His first three years in the NFL were plagued by calf, shoulder, chest, ankle, and toe injuries.
Turner was somewhat able to avoid the injury bug during the 2024 campaign, playing in a career-high 16 games despite dealing with a knee injury. Even though he was able to stay on the field, the production did not follow – nine quarterback pressures, three quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, two sacks, and two forced fumbles.
The Lions will hope that Turner can stay healthy and be part of a defensive group that will have to replace 11 sacks lost by Muhammad's departure. If he can become part of the rotation and make an impact, it will be a nice win for Holmes and the Lions’ brass.
That said, the Turner signing shouldn’t stop Detroit from selecting a rookie pass rusher in next month’s NFL draft. History tells us that Turner staying 100 percent healthy is a huge gamble, and the Lions need to find a rookie to hopefully develop and potentially play alongside Aidan Hutchinson down the road.
As for Turner, he likely won’t get that many more chances to prove himself after missing all of last season with the Cowboys. The Lions can’t afford to waste their time on a player who can be easily replaced at a position of need.