On Tuesday, the Detroit Lions officially announced the signing of veteran Kyle Peko as a defensive tackle. They also confirmed the earlier reported signing of safety C.J. Moore to a one-year contract.
Before the season starts, Peko, who is 30 years old, has played for five different teams in the NFL. He played in 10 games as a starter for the Tennessee Titans last year and had a one-year term with them in 2021. This is significant because he will reunite with Terrell Williams, the new defensive line coach for the Lions this season, as Williams was previously Peko’s coach in Tennessee.
Peko, standing at 6 feet and 1 inch and weighing 305 pounds, is expected to play as a 3 or 5-technique in Detroit’s defensive scheme. However, his abilities as a pass rusher are not particularly strong. Throughout his career of 42 games, he has only gotten 2 sacks and last season, he only managed to create 7 pressures in 153 pass rushing snaps (according to PFF).
Peko has participated in a total of 42 games, recording 56 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and two passes defended. Additionally, Peko has also forced a fumble.
However, the Detroit Lions currently lack depth in the defensive tackle position. The only healthy players available are Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike, Brodric Martin, and Chris Smith. DJ Reader will be an important addition once he has fully recovered from a torn quadricep. In the meantime, Peko fills an essential role as the Lions prepare to begin Organized Team Activities in the next two weeks.
