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Detroit Lions 2026 NFL Draft Needs: EDGE injury report
TL;DR
The Detroit Lions are assessing their EDGE position needs ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, focusing on the health of starters and key backups. The combined need score reflects both positional necessity and injury concerns.
The 2026 NFL Draft is fast approaching which makes it a good time to review the Lions' positional needs and how it may impact their draft strategy. Last year, defensive tackle got the biggest combined need score, and the Lions indeed filled that position in the 1st round with Tyleik Williams.
For the complete defensive positional breakdown, read Detroit Lions 2026 Draft Needs: DEFENSE Positional Rankings + Injury Impact. For the offensive positional breakdown, read Detroit Lions 2026 Draft Needs: OFFENSE Positional Rankings + Injury Impact.
The following is the review of the Lions' EDGE position.
The combined need score is the summation of positional need (0-5) plus medical concern level (0-5). The higher the score, the greater the need. I’m reserving the focus to the starters and key backups here, with health of the starters weighted more heavily.
(In parentheses are player age at the start of the 2026 season, signed-through year, and medical concern level.) *Projected starters.
Edge
- *Aidan Hutchinson (26, 2028, 0/10) - Rebounding nicely from his tib/fib fracture from 2024, Hutch should be even stronger in 2026.
- *DJ Wonnum (28, 2026, 3/10) - A scary history of MRSA and DVT should not be an issue. He does have quad tendon and ankle surgeries in past though.
- Payton Turner (27, 2026, 10/10) - Major concerns due to inability to stay healthy over multiple seasons, including missing all of 2025.
- Ahmed Hassanein (24, 2026, 2/10) - A pec injury hindered his rookie season in which he saw no action.
Positional need 5/5
Thankfully, the Lions have Hutchinson, otherwise the EDGE need would be off-the-charts. Even with Hutch, there is still a major need for a quality, long-term, starting EDGE as well as solid backups. Only Hutch is signed past 2026.
Medical concern 2/5
The starters should be fine but the backups have some medical concerns.
TOTAL 7/10
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions 2026 NFL Draft Needs: EDGE injury report
Q&A
What is the combined need score for the Detroit Lions' EDGE position in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The combined need score for the EDGE position is calculated by summing the positional need and medical concern levels, both rated from 0 to 5.
How did the Detroit Lions address their defensive tackle needs in the previous NFL Draft?
In the previous NFL Draft, the Lions filled their defensive tackle position in the first round by selecting Tyleik Williams.
What factors are considered in evaluating the Lions' EDGE position for the 2026 Draft?
The evaluation of the Lions' EDGE position considers the health of starters and key backups, with a greater emphasis placed on the health of the starters.
