The Detroit Lions needed depth at defensive tackle given the injury status of Alim McNeill, and they made a big addition to the line during the second day of the legal tampering period.
Nose tackle Roy Lopez agreed to sign with the Lions, adding beef to the middle of the defensive line. Lopez occupies space and can pressure the pocket, which will help provide some extra punch in a place Detroit needs it most in 2025.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press provided a fantastic example of what Lopez brings. As he revealed, Lopez has become a rush master from the middle of the line, where he has been able to get after the quarterback quickly in passing situations.
Roy Lopez to the Lions per @TomPelissero. From Next Gen stats, he played 440 snaps last season, 216 in run defense. Had 12 pressures on his pass rush snaps (6 of them quick pressures of under 3 seconds)
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) March 12, 2025
After coming into the league as a sixth-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2021, Lopez has played four seasons in the NFL, spending the last two with the Arizona Cardinals. He has totaled 137 tackles, three sacks and two fumble recoveries in his career. The Lions got an up-close look at Lopez last season when he put up three tackles in 41 defensive snaps amid a 20-13 loss for Arizona.
While that tape may have impressed the Lions itself, some of Lopez's other traits may have put him over the top in their mind as a signing.
Jonathan Gannon praised the strong character of Roy Lopez during 2024 season
More than play, the biggest question about any addition is how they fit the locker room. Detroit has created a solid culture, and Dan Campbell has maintained that not every free agent will match the Lions' specific mold.
It's clear that Lopez is a seamless fit from that standpoint. Last season, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon got to know Lopez, and provided a quality take on his character in a video snippet unearthed by The Detroit Times via AZ Cards Insiders.
"If you had 90 Roy's you'd be good to go. You know what I mean? And we've got a lot of good guys. But Roy, he keeps a good attitude. He's always working on his game. He's team-first. He's willing to do whatever you tell him to do. He's got a smile on his face. He's a phenomenal human being. He enjoys coming to work, and he gets better at his game. So yeah, I'd love a bunch of Roy's."
While the addition of Lopez will not generate major headlines early in free agency like that of DJ Reed, it's clear he offers the Lions' defense solid skills. Similarly, he offers their locker room fantastic leadership and is the type of character addition Detroit always seeks to make.