Will Lions Regret Not Signing DE A.J. Epenesa?

The Detroit Lions were in the market for defensive end help entering the offseason, and wound up making several additions.

They wound up signing two veterans in D.J. Wonnum and Payton Turner, then drafted two more in Derrick Moore and Tyre West. These new additions will be looking to help anchor the defense opposite of Aidan Hutchinson, who earned second-team All-Pro honors after a career year.

One potential target the team may have been targeting finally found a landing spot Wednesday, as former Buffalo Bills defensive end A.J. Epenesa signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. It's a one-year deal, but financial terms were not immediately reported.

It has been something of a unique offseason for Epenesa, as the veteran initially signed with the Cleveland Browns earlier in the offseason. However, the team backed out of the deal after Epenesa's physical.

The fact that Epenesa has remained available months after the deal fell through indicates that there could be serious health concerns surrounding the Iowa product. He had spent each of his first six seasons with the Buffalo Bills prior to this year.

During his time with the Bills, Epenesa was a strong part of their defensive line rotation. He appeared in 91 games, mostly as a rotational backup and occasional starter. In his career, Epenesa has 24 sacks.

There are indications that his performance may have been on a downward turn, as he logged just 2.5 sacks last season for the Bills. By contrast, the Lions added two veterans with more intriguing ability that could benefit them more than adding Epenesa would've.

In Wonnum, the Lions have a true every-down contributor who is known most for his ability to stifle the run and set the edge. In six seasons, Wonnum has 30 sacks and 32 tackles for loss. He's a more proven and consistent option than his fellow 2020 draft class member.

Turner has injury concerns of his own, as he has been limited to 31 games over five seasons and missed all of last year. However, he's a former first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints and fits the mold of players the Lions have looked for under general manager Brad Holmes as a first-round pick who could be a steal if he stays healthy.

The Lions also traded up to get Moore, who had 10 sacks in his final season at Michigan. A rotational contributor for the first part of his college career, Moore wound up being a force in his final season with 10.5 sacks for the Wolverines.

While Epenesa could certainly turn out to be a good addition for the Eagles, ultimately the Lions likely feel good about the haul they have and are okay with the Iowa product signing elsewhere.

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