This offseason is going to be an extremely eventful one for the Detroit Lions. With several roster spots needing to be addressed as key players hit the open market, Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell face immense pressure to retool the team despite little financial flexibility.
According to Spotrac, the Lions currently have an estimated $9.1 million in cap savings, and unless they release or restructure some players' contracts, they’ll have to be smart about who they re-sign and who they let walk. One free agent who’s unlikely to suit up for the Lions in 2026 is defensive tackle Roy Lopez.
In his lone year in Detroit, Lopez was outstanding in his backup role, logging 30 total tackles and a career-high two sacks. While bringing back Lopez would give the Lions’ defensive line insurance, his estimated annual salary of $6.4 million is out of their price range.
Since the Lions already have defensive linemen Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams locked up as their starters, it’s hard to envision Lopez retaining his current roster spot at that price. Instead, the Lions should replace him with a cheaper option in free agency, such as Benito Jones.
Lions Should Let Roy Lopez Walk in Favor of Benito Jones
There are plenty of reasons for the Lions to consider replacing Lopez with Jones. For starters, Jones has experience playing in head coach Dan Campbell’s system, having spent two seasons with the Lions.
During his tenure, Jones proved to be a serviceable contributor, combining for 42 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 30 hurries across 34 games. Also, Jones shouldn’t be too costly for the Lions, as he’s projected to be had for a one-year contract worth $1.3 million.
Since the Lions would save money signing Jones, they could use those extra funds to acquire another pass rusher or add more depth in the secondary. While signing Jones seems like an obvious choice given his familiarity with the system and low price tag, there are ceilings you inevitably hit when opting to go the cheaper route.
Over the course of his career, Jones has been a rotational player, at his best, and would serve as a temporary placeholder until the Lions find a long-term backup option. According to Pro Football Focus, Jones hasn’t excelled in any area, posting a career-high 53.3 overall grade in 2022.
Meanwhile, Lopez had a central role last year with the Lions and was a critical player on the defense in the second half of the season. With Lopez logging at least 20 snaps in his final eight games, the Lions cannot rely on Jones alone to fill that void.
Given their depth on the defensive line, the Lions should also turn to Mekhi Wingo to help fill Lopez’s void. Since they’re crowded with interior defenders, the Lions should also rely on Mekhi Wingo to fill his shoes.
During his two seasons in Detroit, the former sixth-round selection hasn’t been able to crack the defensive rotation, appearing in only 236 defensive snaps. With Lopez and D.J. Reader potentially not on the team next season, this opens the door for more playing time for Wingo.
Regardless, the Lions have some difficult decisions to make. While it would be great if they could somehow re-sign Lopez on a cheap deal, Detroit has more important needs to address.
Although Wingo and Jones won’t both emerge as breakout players, they should be fine filling the void left by Lopez while the Lions use their savings to invest in multiple roster needs.