Grant Stuard Believes Payton Turner Is Answer To Lions Biggest Issue

The Detroit Lions took a chance on adding a veteran with injury concerns in defensive end Payton Turner.

Last season, Turner missed the entire year with a training camp injury. He's been limited to just 31 games since the New Orleans Saints drafted him in the first-round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

However, the Lions have a need for a second formidable pass-rusher to work opposite of Aidan Hutchinson. In Turner, the Lions could have a darkhorse answer. The 6-foot-6 defensive end has size and athleticism that could be a serious factor if he can remain healthy for Kelvin Sheppard's defense.

Detroit has struggled with consistency opposite of Hutchinson, and last year's second-highest sack total is gone as Al-Quadin Muhammad signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the offseason.

Defensive line coach Kacey Rodgers noted the length that the team has added to the position group with Turner, D.J. Wonnum and Derrick Moore and how that can be an asset.

"Well with the length came a lot more, we felt like a lot more athleticism," said Rodgers. "So, that'll give us the opportunity to play different packages, and throw out a lot of different looks than defenses being more traditional. You got two big guys inside, you got two of your ends outside. Now, you can have four ends out there, you can have three ends and a backer. You can have three ends and a tackle. It just gives us more and more flexibility on defense."

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One former Lion, linebacker Grant Stuard, shared his optimism that Turner could have a big year for the Lions in 2021. He took to social media stating that Turner is on "10 plus sacks watch."

Stuard and Turner were college teammates at Houston, where they were both standouts. Turner was a first-round pick, while Stuard fell to the seventh-round. Stuard played one season for the Lions, last year, and has since signed with the Los Angeles Rams.

Rodgers spoke during mandatory minicamp, noting that the team is exploring different ways to create pressures heading into the 2026 season.

"No doubt, you know, anytime you would love to say we can sit here and we can just rush four," said Rodgers. "But in today's NFL, that's not necessarily always the case. When you're talking pressure, how can you generate it? Is it a simulated pressure, is it a six-man pressure, five-man, four, three. You can get pressure with three. So, it's just a lot of different ways, but the more versatility have it gives us the opportunity to do a lot of different things like that."

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