Detroit Lions Rookie EDGE Trending Down After First Two NFL Games

The Detroit Lions defense has had to endure plenty of criticism due to their difficult start to the 2026 season.

In their season opener, the Lions withstood a big rally from the Saints and won in overtime. Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2, their defensive struggles started early and they weren't able to overcome these shortcomings in a 10-point loss.

As a result, the team is searching for answers early in the season. One player who has struggled out of the gate is defensive end Derrick Moore, as he's been unable to make a significant impact in his first two NFL games.

Drafted in the second-round of this year's draft, Moore was expected to be a contributor to a revamped pass-rush that includes star Aidan Hutchinson along with veteran free agent D.J. Wonnum. However, through his first two games Moore has yet to record a tackle and has just one pressure.

Moore has played 35 total snaps in his first two games, which have provided him with an opportunity to get after opposing quarterbacks. However, he has yet to live up to that reputation after showing plenty of flashes of that ability throughout training camp and the preseason.

The Michigan product currently ranks 19th of 24 Lions defenders to have played a snap through two games in Pro Football Focus' overall defensive grade with a 49.3 mark. He has a pass-rush win rate of 0.0 percent on 22 pass-rush snaps this season, according to PFF.

There's certainly plenty of time for Moore to get it ironed out, as he's still acclimating to the NFL speed and skill of his opponents. However, his impact on the defense has been minimal early on, and with the team having aspirations of contending there is pressure mounting.

With all the criticism that the Lions' secondary has faced, the struggles of Moore and Wonnum, who has three pressures on 73 pass-rush snaps, has also been emblematic of some of the defense's issues.

Detroit's defense has recorded seven sacks this season, with three coming from Hutchinson. Only one other player on the defensive line has recorded a sack, that being Alim McNeill. Two of the remaining three sacks belong to Derrick Barnes, with the other going to Roger McCreary on a well-timed cornerback blitz.

Getting more production from others along the defensive line will be paramount due to the way the Lions play schematically, which puts an emphasis on players getting to the quarterback and taking some of the heat off the secondary.

Against the Bills, the Lions were unable to get going against Josh Allen despite some early success from Hutchinson, which led to the passer accounting for five touchdowns in Thursday's game.

Moving forward, the Lions will need to evaluate Moore and whether or not he can be productive for the team's pass-rush. If not, the defense could give an opportunity to a player like Ahmed Hassanein, who has been a healthy scratch throughout the first two games of the season.

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