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Lions Free Agent Signing in Danger of Being Cut
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- Lions Free Agent Signing in Danger of Being Cut
New Orleans Saints edge rusher Payton Turner. Getty
Veteran edge rusher Payton Turner signed with the Detroit Lions in 2026 NFL free agency. Getty
Perhaps the biggest disappointment from the Detroit Lions ' training camp has been free agent signing Payton Turner . The former first-round pick has not been healthy and has not seen the field for his new team.
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Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit believes this could cost him a spot on the roster.
"Turner arrived in Detroit hopeful to shake the injury-prone label and finally live up to his draft status as a former first-round pick," wrote Reisman. "Instead, he practiced once, tweaked his back, and hasn't practiced again. With the rise of Hassanein and the imminent return of rookie Derrick Moore , it's hard to imagine Turner returning in time to win a roster spot."
The combination of his health questions and lack of need for depth makes Turner a fringe roster player with a few weeks to go until cutdown day.
Detroit Lions Edge Rusher Payton Turner is on the Roster Bubble
Payton Turner
GettyVeteran edge rusher Payton Turner signed with the Detroit Lions in 2026 NFL free agency.
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Turner is a former first-round pick, but injuries have been the name of his game throughout his career. He had a calf strain that sidelined him for a good portion of his rookie season.
He had a low ankle sprain in his second game that limited him to half a season. Turner suffered turf toe in his third NFL season and hardly played.
While he played a good bit in 2024 and was healthy, he missed the entire 2025 season due to a rib injury. This will be his sixth season in the NFL, and he has been active for 31 games. In total, he has played 675 snaps.
So, the Lions took a shot on the potential of a former first-round pick. However, they have to accept that he might be continuing the trajectory of not staying healthy. This is why the team should not be afraid to cut ties before the season starts.
Lions Are Deeper on the Edge Than Expected
The biggest reason they can move on is that the room is much deeper than it was expected to be. They have Aidan Hutchinson , who is a locked-in starter. D.J. Wonnum was signed in free agency, and Derrick Moore was drafted to compete across from him.
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Turner was expected to be in the mix for the fourth spot. However, without him, both Tyler Lacy and Ahmed Hassanein have been taking those chances. Both have excelled . Lacy moves inside at times, but the team specifically pushed Hassanein out to the edge to play the role they signed Turner for.
It looks like Hassanein will be a lock for the roster . So, even if you classify Lacy as an interior lineman, it would still push Turner to the fifth spot at best.
The Lions also have rookie UDFAs Eric O'Neill and Anthony Lucas. Both have flashed at times. They might not be making strong pushes for the roster, but they are highlighting how expendable Turner is.
If Turner does not get healthy within the next couple of weeks, the team will have no other choice but to cut him. Even if he does get healthy, he might be too far behind.
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