Grading Detroit Lions Signing EDGE Payton Turner

During the NFL free agency cycle, the main concern for the Detroit Lions has been acquiring depth along the defensive line.

On Friday, general manager Brad Holmes acquired his third defensive lineman of the week, giving Detroit yet another option as the team looks to rebuild towards their previous standards.

This signing is a unique one, as Detroit, Dan Campbell, and Holmes acquire another former New Orleans Saints first round defensive lineman that has struggled with injury. The Lions signed 2021 Saints’ first-round draft pick Payton Turner.

The terms of the contract have not been disclosed.

Turner has yet to reach full potential

Turner entered the league with some fanfare out of Houston, recording nine sacks and nearly 20 tackles for loss over his final two seasons with the Cougars. The Saints elected to spend their first-round selection on Turner, but since then, there have been a multitude of struggles for the 2020 Second Team All-AAC selection.

Turner only saw the field for 15 games in the first three seasons of his career, recording eight tackles for loss and three sacks over his partial seasons.

In 2024, he was finally able to stay healthy for most of the season, only missing a single game. Turner broke up four passes, forced two fumbles, and had a pair of sacks among his three tackles for loss.

The Saints had declined Turner’s fifth year contract option, and he tested free agency. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys in March 2025. However, an old foe reared its ugly head. Turner suffered a rib injury during preseason and missed the entire season.

Turner was cut lose, and Holmes elected to replace the recently released Josh Paschal with another defensive lineman that has struggled to find his place in the league.

Overall, the signing of Turner is intriguing. Turner has the athleticism and length needed to contribute in the NFL, but his lack of availability and production in his five seasons do not exude confidence.

However, his 2024 PFF numbers do give a glance at what Turner’s role may be. Turner played 335 snaps on defense in his last year with New Orleans, which was 97th among all 121 qualifying edges.

His pass rush grade ranked 34th among those 121 edges, which shows some ability to rush the passer. However, his run defense was not meeting expectations for a first round pick, ranking 119th of 121. It is worth mentioning that his two forced fumbles was top ten among edge rushers that season.

The lack of proven production, the inability to stay healthy, and the substandard run defense in his only season of proven production provide serious drawbacks. While Turner was likely drafted higher than expected, his return has been minimal so far.

Unless there is a serious change in summer camp, Turner might only provide depth or a camp body. Turner has some intrigue, but it is hard to see a proven upside.

Grade: C

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