Trading Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys got the Green Bay Packers Micah Parsons, but it also hurt their depth at defensive tackle. Almost six months have passed since that deal, and those concerns remain. Devonte Wyatt is efficient but often hurt, and there's not much depth behind him.
The Packers ranked in the middle of the pack in run defense last season, giving up 114.6 rushing yards per game (18th). Upgrading the run defense should be a point of emphasis this offseason, especially if Green Bay wants to set defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon up for success in Year 1.
The Packers will search everywhere to upgrade their DT situation, and it wouldn't be far-fetched to think that they could convince a divisional rival to commit the ultimate sin.
Roy Lopez is going to be a free agent, and his chances to return to Detroit look quite slim right now.
Packers Should Make a Run at Lions' Roy Lopez in Free Agency
The Detroit Lions have a stout defensive line, with Alim McNeill and D.J. Reader at the top of the depth chart and Lopez as a rotational piece. The Packers could offer him a chance to start on the left side over Colby Woolen, or he'd at least have multiple opportunities to start on the right side if (when) Walker gets hurt again.
Spotrac projects Lopez's market value in the neighborhood of a three-year, $19.06 million contract, which equates to roughly $6.4 million per year. According to OverTheCap, the Packers are $1.5 million over the salary cap, so he'd be the type of low-cost pickup general manager Brian Gutekunst will try to lure to Lambeau Field.
Despite playing just 425 snaps, Lopez was a solid run-stopper for the Lions. His Pro Football Focus grade of 68.7 ranked 30th among 134 eligible defensive linemen, and he recorded 19 solo tackles, 14 run stops, 13 pressures, eight hurries, three sacks, two quarterback hits, and one batted pass.
While not a superstar by any means, Lopez is about to enter his sixth year in the league. He's played for three different franchises and in a variety of systems, so he can probably adjust to whatever the Packers need from him.
To say that the Packers and the Lions don't like one another would be a bit of an understatement. That said, this is a business first and foremost, and if the Packers are willing to offer Lopez a better opportunity to get on the field, it's hard to believe he'll let emotion get in the way of his free-agency decision.