The Detroit Lions are adding some beef to their defensive interior.

The Lions agreed to terms with veteran nose tackle Roy Lopez, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, on a one-year deal worth $4.65 million, according to the Associated Press.

Lopez, 27, will be entering his fifth NFL season in 2025.

He made 16 starts for the Arizona Cardinals last season, totaling 28 tackles with one sack and 18 pressures.

He split his time between run and pass defense, averaging 29 snaps per game (13.9 against the run, 15.1 against the pass).

Lopez (6-foot-2, 318 pounds) seems the likely replacement for free agent Kyle Peko, who emerged as a steady rotational player in the early stages of last season before a torn pec ended his year. Peko remains unsigned.

Lopez began his college career at New Mexico State (2016-19), where he played four years before transferring to Arizona (2020) after being granted a fifth year of eligibility due to a leg injury in 2019.

He was drafted by the Texans in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft and played two seasons in Houston before being waived during roster cutdowns in 2023.

He signed with Arizona, where he was an important piece of the defense last season.

While it’s not the flashy defensive line signing Lions fans have been clamoring for, Lopez should bring a reliable presence to the team’s defensive line rotation.

Lopez becomes the second outside addition to join Detroit in free agency.

On Monday, the Lions agreed to terms with veteran cornerback DJ Reed on a three-year, $48 million deal.

Outside free agents will officially be able to sign their new deals beginning Wednesday at 4 p.m., the start of the new league 2-25 year.

Reports: Lions to bring back defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike

The Detroit Lions have avoided losing a pivotal player of their defensive line, bringing back defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike on a one-year deal worth $5.5 million, according to reports, including NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Onwuzurike, a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft — Brad Holmes’ first as general manager in Detroit — is coming off his best NFL season, tallying a career-high 45 pressures with 1½ sacks with 28 tackles while the star power on the Lions’ defensive line dwindled due to several season-ending injuries.

It’s an unexpected bargain for the Lions. Onwuzurike is part of a free-agent class that has seen multiple big-money contracts doled out to rotational players.

Milton Williams, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles, agreed to a four-year, $104 million contract with the New England Patriots after registering 40 pressures in 2024.

After multiple defensive tackles found big paydays, it seemed almost certain that a team would be willing to gamble on Onwuzurike, who has been on a clear, upward trajectory since returning from a back injury that cost him his 2022 season.

However, it’s possible Onwuzurike’s injury history — which includes a spinal fusion procedure — limited teams’ willingness to give him a long-term contract.