Lions Biggest Remaining Need After 2026 Draft: What's Still Missing

The Detroit Lions were proactive in addressing their biggest needs in the NFL Draft.

General manager Brad Holmes has been known to prioritize fits over need during his six years running drafts for the organization. However, he jumped at the opportunity to add talent at offensive tackle and defensive end with his first two picks in 2026.

Holmes also added depth to areas that needed it, namely at linebacker and cornerback on the third and final day of the draft. As a result, the roster is taking shape nicely heading into organized team activities.

However, there is one need that still looms. The Lions added to their defensive interior by drafting tackle Skyler Gill-Howard and signing Jay Tufele, but there is still room for the team to add a nose tackle.

The Lions have a solid rotation of defensive linemen to play their three-technique position, which is aligned on the outside shoulder of the guard in the B gap. However, they lost both of their nose tackles from last season in Roy Lopez and DJ Reader.

As a result, their top option at the nose position, which is head up on the center, is 2025 first-round pick Tyleik Williams. If Williams is able to own the role, that would be a positive development. However, the Lions operated with a rotation at the nose tackle position in previous years in order to keep their options fresh.

The Lions would be wise to add another nose tackle option in free agency ahead of the start of minicamp. It would be paramount for the team to bring in another veteran to compete for snaps with Williams, as well as potentially spell him in the regular season.

Williams played in all 17 games as a rookie, totaling 446 defensive snaps. This equated to 40 percent of the team's defensive action. As a result, the Lions would be asking him to make a jump in action as well as expecting a step up in production.

One other option the Lions currently have on the roster is Chris Smith, who has bounced between the practice squad and active roster throughout his career. Smith has appeared in five games, all coming in the 2024 season.

Perhaps the Lions feel strongly about moving one of the other options, such as Levi Onwuzurike or Tufele, to the nose tackle position. However, this would be another schematic adjustment and may require a bit of a learning curve for these players to adapt to playing in a new shade on the defensive line.

Tufele is an intriguing addition, as he has played in 46 games with seven starts throughout five professional seasons. He earned a 51.0 overall defensive grade last year playing primarily as the three-tech.

As a result, it can be inferred that it would be more natural for Tufele to play in that role, thus leaving the Lions still in need of a nose tackle.

The Lions are counting on a bounce-back year from Alim McNeill, who will be the top option as the three-technique. However, the team can wind up being even more complete by finding a reliable run-stuffing nose tackle to pair with McNeill.

Getting another mentor for the defensive interior would be a wise investment for Detroit, and the organization values competition.

After the team addressed the defensive end position with two free agent signings and two draft picks, adding another veteran nose tackle will give the unit a more complete feel.

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