On the roster: Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams, DJ Wonnum, Derrick Moore, Levi Onwuzurike, Payton Turner, Tyler Lacy, Myles Adams, Mekhi Wingo, Ahmed Hassanein, Anthony Lucas, Syler Gill-Howard, Tyre West, Chris Smith, Eric O'Neill, Aidan Keanaaina, Jay Tufele
Key losses: DJ Reader, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Roy Lopez
| Name | Games | Tackles | TFL | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aidan Hutchinson | 17 | 54 | 14 | 14.5 |
| Alim McNeill | 10 | 14 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Tyleik Williams | 17 | 18 | 2 | 1.0 |
| DJ Wonnum^ | 16 | 42 | 4 | 3.0 |
| Derrick Moore* | 12 | 30 | 10.5 | 10.0 |
| Levi Onwuzurike | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Payton Turner^ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Tyler Lacy | 10 | 21 | 0 | 1.0 |
| Myles Adams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Mekhi Wingo | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Ahmed Hassanein | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Anthony Lucas* | 12 | 37 | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Skyler Gill-Howard* | 6 | 13 | 2.5 | 0.5 |
| Tyre West* | 12 | 23 | 7.5 | 4.0 |
| Chris Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Eric O'Neill* | 12 | 37 | 9.5 | 2.5 |
| Aidan Keanaaina* | 13 | 56 | 2.5 | 1.5 |
| Jay Tufele^ | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0.0 |
^ with another team *college stats
Best competition: No. 2 edge rusher
The Lions would ideally like to have a solid rotation of players opposite Hutchinson, so it will be interesting to see at the end of the 2026 campaign which player had the second-most snaps among the edge rushers.
Wonnum was signed in free agency after the Lions got familiar with his game from his time in Minnesota where he had a couple eight-sack seasons for the Vikings. He's got good length (6-5), can set an edge in the run game and has some versatility to his game.
Detroit selected Moore in the second round of this year's NFL Draft after he had both double-digit sacks (10.5) and tackles for loss (10.5) at Michigan last season. He's got a quick first step and was playing both edge spots in spring practices open to the media.
Turner is a former first-round pick of New Orleans in 2021 signed by the Lions in free agency. He's battled injury throughout his career but played a career-high 16 games last season (no starts) and recorded a couple sacks. The Lions like his length (6-6) and skillset and hope a new environment can unlock some of the potential that made him a former first-round pick.
Onwuzurike and Lacy can play the big end role in Kelvin Sheppard's defense. It will be interesting to see how often they use that package.
Youngsters like Hassanein and Lucas will also try to make their marks in camp and earn roster spots and roles.
Twentyman's take: Overall, it looks to be a deeper and more versatile edge group in Detroit. Will it be more productive?
Hutchinson (14.5) and Muhammad (11.0) were one-of-two sets of NFL teammates to each log at least 11.0 sacks in 2025. The only other duo to do so were Texans edge rushers Danielle Hunter (15.0) and Will Anderson (12.0).
Detroit only got 2.5 sacks from their other edge rushers combined last year. The expectation is to get more production overall from the collective group in 2026.
Along the interior of the defensive line, Detroit's hoping McNeill returns to his 2023 and 2024 form before he tore his ACL at the end of the 2024 season. He said this offseason he finally feels like himself again now more than a year removed from the injury and he plans to add much needed pass rush from Detroit's interior. The Lions got just 5.0 total sacks last year from interior defenders upfront.
Williams enters his second season after Detroit selected him in the first round of last year's draft. He's got a ton of confidence going into Year 2 and thinks he can provide more splash plays than he did in his first season.
"Having a year under my belt, I feel like I'm just playing faster, more fluid," Williams said this offseason.
We'll see him play more nose tackle in the A-gap this year after Detroit lost Reader and Lopez in free agency, two veterans who knew how to play the position well. We won't know until the pads come on in camp how that might look with Williams in the middle, but he does bring more athleticism to that spot.
Onwuzurike recorded 45 total quarterback pressures and a 12.5 percent pass-rush win rate during the 2024 NFL regular season, ranking among the top 15 interior defensive linemen in the league. He missed all of last season after suffering a torn ACL in the offseason. He's the wild card for me. If he returns to anything close to his 2024 form with his ability to also play inside and outside, it's a game changer for Detroit's front.
Outside of Hutchinson there's a lot of question marks along Detroit's defensive front heading into camp, but also a lot of potential. Can McNeill and Onwuzurike return to 2024 form? If they can it opens a lot of possibilities for Detroit's defense. Does Williams take the leap in production we sometimes see in players from Year 1 to Year 2? Can Wonnum and Moore provide the kind of stable production opposite Hutchinson in both the pass and run games Detroit's been seeking from that other edge spot?
Run game coordinator and defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers thinks the length and athleticism the Lions have added to their defensive front this offseason will allow them to play a lot of different packages and throw a lot of different looks at opposing offenses.
"You can have four ends out there," he said. "You can have three ends and a linebacker. You can have three ends and a tackle. It just gives us more flexibility on defense."
View photos of the Detroit Lions defensive linemen heading into training camp.
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 9, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 28, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher DJ Wonnum (98) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher DJ Wonnum (98) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher DJ Wonnum (98) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Derrick Moore (9) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 10, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Derrick Moore (9) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Derrick Moore (9) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on June 8, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Derrick Moore (9) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on June 1, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on April 20, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Myles Adams (96) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Myles Adams (96) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 28, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Myles Adams (96) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo (94) during minicamp at the Meijer Performance Center on June 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Tyler Fipp/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo (94) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo (94) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on April 30, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard (50) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 10, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard (50) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on June 8, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard (50) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 14, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyre West (52) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on June 8, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyre West (52) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 20, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyre West (52) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 18, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein (99) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 9, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein (99) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Chris Smith (90) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Chris Smith (90) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 5, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina (60) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on June 8, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina (60) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 14, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyler Lacy (93) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 10, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyler Lacy (93) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Payton Turner (92) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 9, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Payton Turner (92) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Jay Tufele (57) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Jay Tufele (57) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 13, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Anthony Lucas (61) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on June 8, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Anthony Lucas (61) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on June 8, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Eric O'Neill (66) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on June 8, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Eric O'Neill (66) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 13, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
By the numbers:
1st: Hutchinson earned his first All-Pro selection in 2025 and was Detroit's first pass rusher to earn All-Pro honors since Ziggy Ansah in 2015. Hutchinson has two Pro Bowl selections joining Al Baker (three) and Robert Porcher (three) as the only pass rushers in team history with multiple Pro Bowl berths.
1-5: Detroit's record last season when generating zero takeaways in a game. Detroit was 3-3 when they generated one takeaway, 2-0 when generating two and 3-0 when generating three or more takeaways in a contest.
15: Forced fumbles generated by Lions defenders last season. Detroit's six strip sacks were second most behind only Houston (seven).
43: Three-and-out drives forced by the Lions' defense in 2025, which tied Buffalo for the seventh-most in the league.
46.4: Opponent overall successful play percentage. A successful play is recorded anytime the offense gains 40 percent of the yardage necessary for a first down on first down, 50 percent of the yardage necessary for a first down on second down or gains the first down on third or fourth down That percentage was sixth lowest in the NFL behind Houston (43.1), Denver (43.5), Cleveland (44.7), Seattle (45.0) and New Orleans (45.9).
49: Sacks generated by Detroit's defense in 2025 which marked the second-most they've ever logged in a single season. Only Denver (68), Atlanta (57) and Cleveland (53) had more.
100: Total pressures registered by Hutchinson last season, which were the most in the NFL.
Quotable: "When I look at us right now the first thing that jumps off for me is the athleticism," Rodgers said this offseason of the defensive line group. "Really in this league, you can't have enough athletes on defense. The length that some of these guys have and we'll see once the pads get on if these guys can translate.
"You'd love to have the ability to put four defensive ends out there at one time or three tackles and one end. Just the different packages you can come up with and cause problems for the other side of the ball. You can dictate what protections you're getting. We can put these over here and Hutch over there and now what will they do? Just gives you the flexibility to do things you like to do defensively."
