The Detroit Lions made several changes on all three levels of the defense this offseason, including at defensive tackle. The Lions lost Roy Lopez in free agency last month, as he went back to the Arizona Cardinals, signing a two-year, $10.5 million contract.
On top of losing Lopez, Detroit hasn’t made any plans on re-signing veteran DJ Reader, which could signal a new face or two joining the 90-man roster in the coming weeks. As of now, Tyleik Williams and Alim McNeill are projected to be the starters for this upcoming season. However, the backup roles are still to be determined.
Levi Onwuzurike should take one of the backup spots after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. And the other spot could go to a rookie, as the Lions have done their homework on several prospects, or it could provide an opportunity to Mekhi Wingo.
Mekhi Wingo Has Perfect Chance to Breakout in 2026 After FA Departures
Wingo, the former sixth-round pick in 2024, appeared in two games last season, including the regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears. For some fans, Week 18 doesn’t hold much weight. But for Wingo, this is what he needed after being a healthy scratch for 14 straight games after making his 2025 debut in Week 2.
The young defender took full advantage of his new opportunity, recording two combined tackles and one pressure across 22 defensive snaps. While those aren’t eye-popping numbers for a DT, when you look beyond the box score, Wingo played with a high motor and showed a good first step off the line of scrimmage.
If you’re defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, that’s something to work with, as Wingo has some talent. Now it's all about staying healthy and building on what he did in the regular season finale.
As a rookie, Wingo appeared in 11 games, seeing 176 defensive snaps compared to only 44 snaps on special teams. However, his impact was minimal in the box score with nine combined tackles and a quarterback hit.
That said, when you look at the other backup options on the Lions’ depth chart (Chris Smith and Myles Adams), Wingo has the much higher upside and should be one of the frontrunners for that second backup spot.
But that still doesn’t mean the Lions shouldn’t dismiss drafting a rookie. They’ve made it a point of emphasis to bolster depth in the secondary to cover their bases. The same philosophy should be applied to the defensive line, especially with Reader still not re-signed.
Detroit has reportedly brought in a couple of veteran defensive tackles in for visits, but those haven’t led to any signings, which is great news for Wingo. Now, he needs to make it through the NFL draft later this month and hope the Lions don’t splurge multiple DTs.