Last offseason, the Green Bay Packers let defensive tackle T.J. Slaton leave for Cincinnati in free agency. It's not like he was an All-Pro for either team, but at least in Green Bay, he was a consistent starter three years running. Declining to secure a replacement probably wasn't a great idea.
Well, the Packers did procure substitutes in a sense. In the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, they brought in Georgia alum Warren Brinson. Colby Wooden stepped into a starting role. Neither of those developments proved adequate.
Sure, Devonte Wyatt is solid on the right side of the line, but he can only do so much. It won't be talked about as much as cornerback, offensive line, or even edge-rusher, but the defensive interior is a position of need.
While the Packers might be better off focusing elsewhere in the draft, there are a number of possible targets in free agency. One such name is Lions DT Roy Lopez, an addition that would be all the sweeter for robbing a division rival of a key cog.
Roy Lopez could help repair Packers' misguided decision from a year ago
Like Slaton, Lopez won't amass a glittery trophy case. In Detroit last season, he was deployed as a reserve despite starting 50 of 63 career games between Houston and Arizona. Nonetheless, the 28-year-old tackle was demonstrably more effective than Wooden.
According to Pro Football Focus, he outplayed Wooden with a 68.7 overall grade that ranked 30th among 134 qualified DTs (Wooden ranked 100th at 49.8).
Lopez also came up with two sacks, four tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, and seven pressures. Okay, that sounds like a lot of nothing salad, as counting stats can tend to at the position, but it exceeds Wooden's production. Overall plus play from Lopez gave him a substantial edge over Slaton in the eyes of PFF evaluators.
Here's the thing. The Packers don't need another stud alongside Wyatt. Slaton was never that. They just need someone capable who can start or fill the void if Wyatt misses time. He has missed 10 games over the past two years, making that a real consideration.
Just as important, Lopez should be available at a fairly low cost. Among free agents on the defensive interior, he is projected to be the seventh-most expensive while clocking as the second-youngest. Spotrac estimates his market value at a three-year, $19 million contract. In exchange, Green Bay would steal away an underrated piece from an NFC North foe, a former sixth-round pick still in his prime.
Lopez might not be the gaudiest option - he lacks the name value of a 39-year-old Calais Campbell, for example - but if the Packers have the budget, the addition would beat doing nothing at all. They already know what that looks like, and the results weren't exactly inspiring.