In this installment of our Detroit Lions 2026 training camp preview series, we continue our exploration of the defensive trenches by examining the Lions’ edge rushers, speculating on current and future roles, and discussing how many players from this group could make the 53-man roster.
Previous training camp previews:
- Quarterback: Can Luke Altmyer force a QB3 role?
- Running back: How RB roles could shift in 2026
- Wide receiver: WR depth roles up for grabs
- Tight end: How many TEs will make the roster?
- Offensive tackle: Can Blake Miller win the starting RT job?
- Interior OL: How quickly will Cade Mays adapt to scheme?
- Defensive tackles: DT has upgraded starters, questionable depth
Roster construction
Under the Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell regime, the Lions have kept at least five pure edge rushers on the roster, but have consistently needed to tweak numbers as they’ve dealt with injuries.
Let’s take a look at what they’ve done at edge rusher in the previous five seasons:
- 2021: Opened the season with five and ended with six.
- 2022: Repeated the process of starting with five and ending with six.
- 2023: Opened and closed the season with seven edge rushers, as they looked for a dedicated pass-rushing linebacker option.
- 2024: Opened and closed with five on the roster, despite working through a plethora of injuries.
- 2025: Opened with six, but quickly reduced to five; kept five active on game days for the first half of the season, but reduced to four on game days soon after the bye week.
Altering their approach on the edge
Impactful pass rushers can be difficult to find in the NFL, but the Lions have been incredibly fortunate to have All-Pro Aidan Hutchinson locking down one side of their defensive line. Because Hutchinson almost never leaves the field, the Lions can focus solely on deploying their remaining pass rushers on the opposite edge, as well as using them in creative situations, like kicking them inside, stacking them, and introducing a pass-rushing linebacker role.
Unfortunately, the Lions have struggled to find a reliable solution opposite Hutchinson. For the last several seasons, the Lions have preferred their edge rushers to have a balanced run-stop/pass-rush skill set, and most starters checked in at over 265-280 pounds, as Detroit prioritized size to set a firm edge.
Last season, the Lions rostered five edge rushers to fight for time opposite Hutchinson, but due to injuries, lack of production, or opportunities elsewhere, none of them remain in Detroit for 2026. Starter Marcus Davenport failed to stay healthy, was not re-signed, and is still a free agent. Josh Paschal stayed on NFI the entire 2025 season and was eventually released. Tyrus Wheat returned to Dallas (the team that drafted him) after minimal opportunities, and Pat O’Connor retired this offseason.
Al-Quadin Muhammad was by far the most productive pass rusher to play opposite Hutchinson, registering 11 sacks in 2025, but the Lions mainly deployed him in pass rushing situations because, at only 250 pounds, he struggled to set an edge in the run game. The Lions would have loved for Muhammad to return in a pass-rushing role in 2026, but he opted to sign with the Buccaneers on a more lucrative contract.
With only Hutchinson and Ahmed Hassanein (who spent half the season recovering from injury and the other half on the practice squad) returning to Detroit in 2026, the Lions were forced to rebuild their edge rusher room this offseason.
The Lions made five additions, signing DJ Wonnum and Payton Turner in free agency, then drafting Derrick Moore in the second round of the NFL Draft, as well as signing rookies Anthony Lucas and Eric O’Neill as undrafted free agents.
This group of players still possesses a balanced skill set as pass rushers/run defenders, but only Turner tips the scales over 265 pounds. Whether conscious or not, the Lions invested in multiple edge rushers who are a bit lighter than they traditionally prefer, but they also bring more juice as pass rushers. Setting the edge is still something each of these edge players does well, but there appears to be a greater emphasis on pass rush than we have seen in previous seasons.
The battleground
Who starts opposite Hutchinson: DJ Wonnum or Derrick Moore?
While Wonnum will surely begin training camp as the starter—Lions coaching staff tends to favor veterans, especially early, in these circumstances—the reality is he’ll likely end up splitting time with Moore in a rotation. How even those rotational snaps are split will depend on how quickly Moore gets up to NFL speed. Once things slow down for Moore, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the snaps even out, and potentially favor the rookie, who could end up starting by season’s end.
With four years of starting experience (54 games), Wonnum is a steady presence that the Lions can trust. He can set a strong edge, has positional range to move around, and has two eight-sack seasons (30 sacks in his career) under his belt. On a defensive front that features Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, and Tyleik Williams, Wonnum won’t need to be a superstar, and his steady presence can still help upgrade the defensive line as a whole.
The presence of Wonnum will allow the Lions to take their time with developing Moore, but he comes out of Michigan with plenty of experience in a pro-style scheme, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make an early impact on the field. Moore’s an exciting addition to the Lions’ edge rusher room, and the Lions should feel confident they can trust him to set an edge against the run, while also offering more developable pass rush than they have had on the roster in several years.
A starting role appears to be in Moore’s future, but he’ll have to work to earn snaps because of Wonnum’s steadiness. This duo should be a noticeable upgrade from seasons past.
Can Payton Turner overcome his injury history?
Turner matches the profile of an edge rusher the Lions have typically preferred. At 6-foot-6, 270 pounds with elite athleticism, Turner was a former first-round pick who has failed to reach his developmental ceiling due to an injury-plagued career. In the last five seasons, Turner has played in just 31 games, has never started a game, and has produced only 50 tackles and five sacks.
While Turner will remind some fans of Davenport, there are stark contrasts worth noting. Turner’s contract is worth just over a million dollars and contains no guarantees, so they’re not tied to him if he struggles. He also isn’t expected to challenge for more than an EDGE4 position, meaning he’d likely hold a depth/pass-rushing-only role, closer to how the Lions used Wheat last season.
If Turner stays healthy, his upside could be worth the gamble. If not, there’s very little keeping the Lions from parting ways.
Can Ahmed Hassanein settle into a new role?
With the offseason additions on the edge, the Lions have elected to alter Hassanein’s role for 2026, shifting him away from the rush end position and over to a “Big” end role. The key difference between the roles is that the “Big” end is asked to occupy blockers first, then pursue the ball, as opposed to simply attacking. It’ll be a shift that will require discipline from the young edge rusher, but will also allow him a simpler learning path to find the field.
Hassanein has bulked up to 275 pounds for the transition, but is still a bit undersized for the position by previous standards—Levi Onwuzurike, Tyler Lacy, and Tyre West all check in between 290 and 305 pounds—which could give him anchoring problems early. However, if Hassanein can show the ability to hold an edge and provide the discipline to make his reads before attacking, there’s a chance for him to be molded into an impact player.
Will a UDFA emerge as a contributor?
Anthony Lucas was a draftable prospect on my draft analysts’ boards due to his combination of size-length-traits, but his lack of production at USC was worrisome enough to keep him from hearing his name called, allowing Detroit to secure him as a UDFA with $115,000 in contractual guarantees. Lucas’ skill set fits the mold of what the Lions look for in a base end, with the ability to set a firm edge and the length to be an effective power-based pass rusher. He showed well in spring practices and has caught the attention of coaches. If a player like Turner struggles or can’t stay healthy, Lucas will have the chance to jump him for a potential spot on the roster.
Eric O’Neill is undersized (247 pounds) by the Lions’ standards, but he’s a high-motor pass rusher who plays with a special-teams mentality. He’ll need to polish his technique and develop a better pass rush plan at the next level, but there’s developmental talent that could be worth cultivating.
