According to Tom Pellisero, the Lions are signing former Arizona Cardinals nose tackle Roy Lopez. The $4.65 million, one-year contract gives the Lions another strong tackle to shore up their injury-depleted defense.

Detroit Lions Pick Up Roy Lopez In Free Agency

After playing football at New Mexico State, Lopez transferred to Arizona in 2020 for his final year of eligibility. A four-year veteran of the NFL, Lopez was drafted by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft with the 195th selection.

Roy Lopez -A Strong Defensive Talent In Arizona 

After two years in Texas, Lopez was waived/injured in August 2023. He was signed to the Cardinals practice squad the following month and quickly promoted to the 53-man roster within a week. In 2024 Lopez had nine solo tackles, one assisted tackle, one sack, three pass defenses, and a forced fumble.

What Lopez Brings to the Lions 

With the unsigned status of free agents Levi Onwuzurike and Kyle Peko in question, Lopez’s acquisition looks like another smart move by Lions GM Brad Holmes .

Described as a “perfect Dan Campbell type of player,” the 6’2″ 318 lb. Lopez is gritty, tough, and relentless in his playing style. A popular locker room presence in Arizona, those who know Lopez say he will fit in well with the team.

HC Jonathan Gannon said of Lopez.  “He’s a phenomenal human being. He enjoys coming to work and he gets better at his game. I’d love a bunch of Roys.”

But Lopez suddenly became expendable following the Cardinals’ budget-busting acquisition of free agent Josh Sweat from the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. Wooing Sweat with a four-year $76.4 million contract, the Cardinals announced their presence in the free agency fray.

Next Steps For the Lions

Detroit has remained relatively quiet this week compared to the huge spending sprees exhibited by other NFL teams. On the first day of free agency, the Chicago Bears spent an eye-popping $133 million to acquire three players. Other teams, including the Carolina Panthers, shelled out the big bucks to retain core players. The Panthers secured Jaycee Horn for the next four years with a massive $100 million contract. The New Orleans Saints re-signed Juwan Johnson for $30 million over three years and elite EDGE Chase Young for the next three years with a new $51 million contract.  

Meanwhile, Holmes has kept his cards close to the vest, picking up only one additional free agent besides Lopez.  Earlier this week, the Lions acquired former Jets cornerback D.J. Reed with a three-year $48 million contract. The pickup of Reed is considered to be another home run for Holmes. However, in addition to the acquisition of Lopez and Reed, the Lions have largely stayed out of the feeding frenzy, focusing their efforts on quietly re-signing their internal players including defensive linebacker Marcus Davenport, LB Zeke Turner, and fan-favorite tackle, Dan Skipper.

With Holmes’ typical quiet efficiency, the details of their new contracts have not been publicized. However, with big contract re-signings still outstanding for Lions’ premiere talents including Aidan Hutchinson , Alex Anzalone, and Kerby Joseph , Holmes is likely keeping an eye on his budget.

But trust the Lions front office will re-sign these players very soon. Then Holmes can focus his on doing what he does best; spotting underrated top talent at the upcoming NFL draft and signing them to Detroit.      

Main Image: Joe Rondone – USA Today Sports

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