By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions’ coaching staff took note of Roy Lopez’s strong performance against one of the NFL’s top centers, Frank Ragnow, during Week 3 of the 2024 season. Despite Detroit’s 20-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, it wasn’t just the win that stood out. Head coach Dan Campbell was particularly impressed by Lopez’s ability to hold his own against Ragnow, a challenge few players can rise to. While reviewing the game film, Campbell praised Lopez’s presence on the field as Detroit dominated the run game.
Lopez’s physical style of play made a significant impact, with the 27-year-old defensive tackle consistently around the football. “He’s a down and dirty (player) – doesn’t mean he can’t play third down, but he lives in base a lot,” Campbell noted. “He’s taking on the double teams, keeping people off the backers. He can get an edge on you, and he’ll just do it time out, time in, time out, again, over and over.”
Lopez’s battle with Ragnow stood out, particularly since Detroit ran the ball effectively, yet Lopez held strong, forcing the line to respect his presence. As the Lions look to build on their defensive success in 2025, Campbell expects this toughness against the run to remain a key feature of their game plan.
For Lopez, the 2024 season wasn’t just about on-field growth. He also earned a performance-based bonus of $477,528.78 from the Cardinals. In his second season with Arizona, Lopez recorded one sack, three passes defensed, four tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and three quarterback hits in 16 games played. With Alim McNeill’s absence likely to start the 2025 season, Detroit will lean heavily on Lopez and DJ Reader to anchor the defensive front.