Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes feels pretty good about the depth he’s built along his defensive line, especially inside at defensive tackle, through free agency so far.
Detroit returns starters Alim McNeill and DJ Reader, but McNeill might not be ready for the start of the season after tearing his ACL in December. The team re-signed Levi Onwuzurike and Pat O’Connor, retained Josh Paschal and Mekhi Wingo, and signed veteran Roy Lopez in free agency.
“Really excited about our depth and what we were able to acquire on the D-line,” Holmes said.
That doesn’t mean Holmes won’t look to add some more young talent via a very strong interior defensive line group in this year’s NFL Draft. There’s a number of players along the interior of Detroit’s defensive front who are signed only through the 2025 season.
Defensive tackle class draft strength: Talent and depth. It’s a loaded class of interior defenders with some draft analysts thinking it’s the deepest group in maybe a decade. There’s not only high-end talent that includes potential Top 10 pick Mason Graham, but depth that will bleed well into Day 2 with teams being able to find quality starters into Friday night.
Lions defensive tackle depth chart: McNeill, Reader, Onwuzurike, Paschal, Lopez, Wingo, O’Connor, Chris Smith, Myles Adams, Brodric Martin.