Overview
- The Lions put defensive end Payton Turner on season‑ending injured reserve after a back issue kept him off the practice field, which sidelines him for the 2026 season unless the team reaches an injury settlement.
- Turner was a 2021 first‑round pick who has an extended injury history, including missed time with the Saints and a lost 2025 season with the Cowboys due to a rib injury, and he played just 31 games in his first four NFL seasons.
- Detroit freed Turner’s roster spot by signing defensive back Eric Scott Jr. to the active roster.
- Turner’s deal with Detroit was reported as a veteran‑minimum contract with no guaranteed money, a sharp contrast with earlier guaranteed money he received in Dallas and a factor in his financial and roster footing.
- With Turner unavailable, rookie Derrick Moore and Ahmed Hassanein have taken on larger roles in the Lions’ pass‑rush rotation behind established starters such as Aidan Hutchinson, a change that will shape Detroit’s depth and snap distribution this season.