The Detroit Lions have seen 10 players leave in free agency to sign with another team thus far. While not all ex-Lions will have the same success elsewhere, that won't be the case with defensive tackle Roy Lopez. He joined the Arizona Cardinals on a two-year, $11.5 million deal with $7 million in guarantees.
Lopez gave the Lions an effective player along the interior as a depth option, but was paid to be more of an impact player in Arizona. Based on how the Cardinals' depth chart looks, Lopez appears to be better off there than staying in the Motor City.
Roy Lopez Won't Regret Leaving Lions
Last offseason, Lopez signed with the Lions on a one-year, $3.5 million deal. He was fourth among Detroit defensive tackles in total snaps (425) but made the most of those plays. Lopez had 30 total tackles, four tackles for loss, and a career-high two sacks. He also finished with a career-low 10% missed-tackle rate, per Pro Football Focus.
His advanced metrics were the best of his career as well. Lopez had a 68.7 overall grade (31st among 134 graded defensive linemen), 63.6 pass rush grade (60th among 134 graded defensive linemen), and a 68.9 run-defense grade (18th among 134 graded defensive linemen).
When you look at Detroit's depth chart, Lopez would, at best, be the DT3. The Lions have Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams ahead of him. They gave McNeill a $97 million extension. Meanwhile, they drafted Williams in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. Detroit also has Levi Onwuzurike back under contract for 2026 after he missed last season with a knee injury.
Although he didn't suit up last season, Onwuzurike had a prominent role in the rotation in 2024. He played in 61% of the defensive snaps, logging 28 total tackles, 13 QB hits, 29 pressures, 45 total pressures, and 1.5 sacks. The Lions like what he brings to the table, and if Lopez were to come back, he would be in a battle for snaps weekly.
Yet, when you look at Arizona's depth chart, Lopez is immediately DT2 behind Walter Nolen. PJ Mustipher, Andrew Billings, L.J. Collier, and Zachary Carter are the other option names in that room. Given the money that Lopez got from the Cardinals, they expect him to be a contributor in 2026.
His breakout season in Detroit helped clear the way for Lopez to get a deal from the Cardinals, but he was better off leaving the Motor City. There's no guarantee that he would have been able to recapture the same success with potentially fewer snaps next season. That's without mentioning that Lopez returned to an Arizona organization where he played for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
At the end of the day, Lions fans hold no ill will regarding Lopez's exit. He did what was best for him, and now it's time to prove why leaving Detroit was the right call.