What Detroit Lions Are Getting in Defensive End Payton Turner

On Friday, Detroit general manager Brad Holmes continued his attempt to bolster the Lions’ defensive front on the cheap, acquiring former New Orleans Saints first-round pick Payton Turner.

The Lions reportedly inked Turner, the No. 28 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, to a one-year deal.

The move marks the team’s third defensive linemen addition of the week, and underscores Detroit’s commitment to strengthening its pass-rush depth entering the 2026 season.

With Turner’s injury past (and overall lack of production), it’s hard to view him as much more than a reclamation project for Dan Campbell’s squad.

Still, there have been flashes in his game that suggest untapped potential – the very reason Holmes is willing to take a flyer on the EDGE defender.

Turner’s most encouraging stretch came during his final season in New Orleans. He suited up for 16 games, playing a rotational role and averaging roughly 20 snaps per contest.

In that limited workload, he notched 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 Pro Football Focus, ranking 34th among 121 qualified EDGEs that season.

Still, availability has been a major issue with Turner since entering the league in 2021.

After the Saints declined his fifth-year option, Turner signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, only to suffer a rib injury during the preseason that sidelined him for the entire year. That setback further reinforced concerns about his durability – a recurring theme throughout his career.

Turner still possesses an intriguing skillset, though.

Equipped with long arms and above-average athleticism, the 6-foot-6 Turner fits the mold of a modern defensive end capable of wreaking havoc against quarterbacks and creating turnovers.

Yet, the shortcomings with Turner are hard to ignore, including his lack of prowess against the run.

His PFF run-defense grade of 40.7 in 2024, for example, ranked a measly 119th out of 121 EDGEs.

Subsequently, it is hard to envision Turner, if he even makes the Lions’ season–opening roster, being much more than a pass-rush specialist in Detroit. And at this present juncture, he profiles as a backup behind Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson and fellow recent free-agent signing D.J. Wonnum.

It is extremely tough to get excited about Holmes’ signing of Turner. And in my opinion, Detroit will fail to get much return on investment from its acquisition of the oft-injured EDGE defender.