Five Explosive EDGE Rushers the Detroit Lions Could Realistically Sign Before Training Camp to Bolster Their Pass Rush

As the Detroit Lions prepare for the 2025 NFL season, expectations are sky-high. After a strong 2024 campaign and an impressive showing in the playoffs, the team has proven it belongs among the NFL’s elite. But as general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell look to take the next step, there’s one area on the roster that still leaves room for concern: EDGE depth. While Aidan Hutchinson continues to grow into one of the league’s premier pass rushers and James Houston is back in the mix, the Lions need more pressure off the edge—particularly someone who can win one-on-one matchups and keep opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable without relying on the blitz.

In recent seasons, the Lions have tried different combinations to generate a consistent pass rush opposite Hutchinson, but injuries, inconsistency, and lack of elite burst have limited their options. With OTAs underway and training camp quickly approaching, now is the time to explore the veteran free agent market. A few experienced and productive EDGE rushers remain unsigned, some due to age or injury history, others simply because teams are waiting to see how the market settles post-draft. For Detroit, this is an opportunity.

Here are five EDGE rushers the Lions could realistically sign before training camp to solidify their front seven and add veteran savvy and production to a defense looking to go from good to great.

1. Yannick Ngakoue
Ngakoue is one of the most consistent pass rushers of the past decade. He’s never had a season with fewer than eight sacks until 2023, when he posted just 4 sacks in a rotational role with the Bears. Still just 30, he offers burst, bend, and veteran technique that could prove valuable in a situational role. For Detroit, that’s the key—he wouldn’t have to play every down. With Hutchinson drawing double-teams, Ngakoue could thrive on the opposite edge in a pressure package, particularly on third downs or in obvious passing situations.

Ngakoue also brings playoff experience and a strong locker room presence. While he isn’t the elite force he once was, he’s still good for a handful of critical plays throughout a season. On a one-year deal, he’d be an ideal addition to rotate with Houston and potentially even stand up over the middle on some disguised fronts. His presence could help Detroit finish what they started last year, turning pressures into sacks in key moments.

2. Carl Lawson
Lawson’s time with the Jets didn’t go as planned following an Achilles injury in 2021, but he returned to play in 2022 and was mostly healthy in 2023. While he hasn’t returned to his pre-injury form when he posted 64 pressures in a season for the Bengals, Lawson remains a powerful rusher with a quick first step and strong hands. What he lacks in flashy sack totals, he makes up for in quarterback hits and hurries, which often force mistakes and create turnovers.

For the Lions, Lawson would be a cost-effective, low-risk option with real upside if used properly. He fits the culture that Campbell and Holmes have built—tough, physical, and smart. He could thrive as a second-wave pass rusher and, more importantly, provide depth in case of injury. Lawson also has inside-outside versatility, something Aaron Glenn could utilize on stunts and twists to manufacture pressure without sending extra defenders. Detroit doesn’t need him to be a star; they just need him to contribute meaningful snaps and push the pocket. Lawson can still do that.

3. Emmanuel Ogbah
Once a cornerstone of the Dolphins’ pass rush, Ogbah became expendable after scheme changes and emerging young talent in Miami. But let’s not forget this is a player who put up back-to-back nine-sack seasons in 2020 and 2021 before injuries and reduced opportunities slowed him down. Ogbah brings a blend of size (6-foot-4, 275 pounds), power, and enough athleticism to function as both a defensive end in even fronts or a 3-4 outside linebacker. For Detroit, his skillset complements Hutchinson’s well—where Hutchinson wins with technique and motor, Ogbah can win with power and leverage.

He’s also an underrated run defender, which matters in the NFC North against teams like Green Bay and Minnesota who want to stay balanced. The Lions have made clear they value players who can set the edge and still get after the quarterback, and Ogbah fits that mold. He could be a valuable addition on a short-term deal with incentive-based structure, and given the current market, Detroit wouldn’t have to overspend to land him. With the right usage and rotation, Ogbah could give the Lions 600 quality snaps and veteran leadership in the defensive line room.

4. Jerry Hughes
At 36 years old, Hughes is no longer a long-term solution—but he doesn’t have to be. What he offers is a specific, niche value: veteran savvy, pass-rush expertise, and a history of producing in big moments. He notched nine sacks with the Texans in 2022 and still flashed as a situational player last year despite Houston’s youth movement. If the Lions are truly looking to go all-in for a Super Bowl run, this is the kind of veteran signing that can pay off late in the season.

Hughes is a technician with excellent hand usage and the ability to win with speed-to-power even at his age. He won’t play 60 snaps a game, but 20-25 in high-leverage situations? That’s where he can still make his mark. Plus, having someone with playoff and leadership experience in a young locker room—especially one that’s still learning how to close games—can be invaluable. If Detroit wants someone who can help teach the next wave of pass rushers and still produce in crunch time, Hughes is a logical target.

5. Charles Harris
A familiar face to Lions fans, Harris had a breakout season in 2021 with Detroit before injuries derailed his momentum. He posted 7.5 sacks and 34 pressures that year, playing with the kind of urgency and confidence that had long eluded him early in his career. While his production has since cooled off, Harris knows the system, the culture, and what’s expected under Dan Campbell. That gives him a leg up on some of the other free agents, especially in terms of scheme fit and acclimation.

If healthy, Harris could be a perfect third or fourth EDGE option who knows how to win with effort and discipline. He’s unlikely to command much on the open market, and a reunion could work well for both sides. Detroit wouldn’t be asking him to start, just to contribute meaningfully in a rotation and serve as injury insurance. Given his familiarity and the flashes he’s shown in the past, Harris might be the safest and easiest move the Lions could make between now and the start of training camp.

Brad Holmes has repeatedly shown he values smart, low-risk signings that fill specific needs without jeopardizing the Lions’ long-term flexibility. This approach helped build the current contender. But now, with the division up for grabs and the Super Bowl window wide open, Detroit has to think like a team ready to win now. Adding another EDGE rusher doesn’t just protect them against injury—it strengthens their ability to close games, frustrate elite quarterbacks, and mask coverage deficiencies.

Each of the five players above offers something different—whether it’s burst, power, leadership, or scheme versatility. None would require a long-term investment or a massive cap hit. And all have proven they can still play, even if in a limited capacity. For a franchise that wants to build on its deepest postseason run in generations, finding the right piece to complement Hutchinson could make all the difference. The pass rush helped carry the Lions through stretches last season. To finish the job in 2025, it needs to be even better.

Is there one pass rusher who feels like the best fit? Possibly. But the real win would be simply adding someone who can deliver when it counts—because if Detroit gets to January again, they’ll need every bit of help they can get.