Detroit Lions 2026 Roster Bubble: Defensive Ends

Aidan Hutchinson has become one of the very best EDGE defenders in the NFL, and he will once again lead the position group for the Lions in 2026.

Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 draft, has recorded at least 9.5 sacks in each season where he’s played a full season’s worth of contests.

Plus, he’s coming off a campaign in which he amassed a career-best 14.5 sacks and 35 quarterback hits. And for his efforts, the University of Michigan product earned a 91.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the fourth-best overall mark among 115 qualified EDGE rushers.

He’ll enter the ‘26 season with offseason acquisitions D.J. Wonnum and Derrick Moore as his primary pass-rush counterparts at EDGE.

Wonnum, most recently a member of the Carolina Panthers, is a physical, big-bodied defender capable of setting the edge against the run while offering modest pass-rush ability.

Additionally, among 74 EDGE defenders who logged at least 500 pass-rush snaps the last two seasons, Wonnum ranked just 71st in quarterback hits (10), 57th in sacks (seven) and 61st in pressure rate (9.7 percent).

Meanwhile, Moore, checking in at 6-foot-3, 255 pounds, should be a natural fit for Detroit defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard’s physical unit.

He improved his production at Michigan each year, and finished his collegiate career with a 10-sack campaign for the Wolverines. He also notched 30 total tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss, three passes defensed and two forced fumbles in his final season in Ann Arbor.

Furthermore, for his efforts in 2025, he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and an 89.9 overall grade from PFF, ranking 18th out of 852 qualified EDGE defenders.

I believe that Wonnum and Moore will battle all throughout training camp for the starting EDGE job opposite Hutchinson. And while Wonnum may emerge as the winner out of camp, I expect Moore to very much be in the mix for regular snaps as the season progresses.

Roster bubble

The last EDGE spot on the Lions' season-opening roster should be up for grabs between Payton Turner and Tyre West.

Turner, the No. 28 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, was signed by Detroit general manager Brad Holmes to a one-year deal this offseason. He enters the ‘26 campaign very much as a reclamation project, after producing largely underwhelming results through the first five seasons of his career.

Turner’s most encouraging stretch of play came during his final season in New Orleans (in 2024). He appeared in 16 games, playing a rotational role and averaging roughly 20 snaps per contest.

In that part-time role, he compiled two sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and three tackles for loss. And for his efforts, he earned a 70.8 pass-rushing grade from PFF, ranking 34th among 121 qualified EDGEs that season.

Meanwhile, West, the Lions' seventh-round selection and final draft pick this past April, needs to have a strong showing in training camp to prove his worth.

The University of Tennessee product has a chance to become a rotational EDGE for Sheppard's unit by season’s end, while also logging a handful of snaps at defensive tackle.

However, at this present juncture, I believe that Turner – by virtue of his five seasons of NFL experience – will edge out West for the final spot in Detroit’s EDGE room to open the season.

Dan Campbell’s squad will also carry undrafted free agent EDGEs Anthony Lucas and Eric O’Neill on its training camp roster.

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