Entering the Detroit Lions preseason opener, one of the biggest questions facing the team was how Ahmed Hassanein was going to look. The second-year edge rusher had been a darling of training camp, but the team needed to see him translate that to the field.
It is clear that he did just that in his 2026 debut. Hassanein recorded two sacks, including a strip sack. He also added four tackles. He came out of the game for a split second due to an injury, but immediately returned and started to create pressure again.
If there is one takeaway from the Lions’ first preseason game, it is not just that Hassanein is going to make the team. It is that he is going to play a good bit, and potentially start in his second season.
Detroit Lions Edge Rusher Ahmed Hassanein Has Strong Preseason Debut
GettyEdge rusher Ahmed Hassanein.
Hassanein was a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He played 43 snaps in the Lions’ preseason, but got hurt between their second and third preseason games. The team waived him injured, and he returned to the practice squad after being placed on the IR.
Now, he is healthy, and the team has him in a new role. They were using him as a speed edge rusher. Now, they have him in the big edge role. This means he will defend the run and set the edge on early downs. On pass downs, he will slide inside and rush from the interior. It should bring out the best in Hassanein.
So far, he has been explosive in training camp and has caught the eye of media and coaches. That has carried over into the preseason. The question is how much of a role he will have.
Hassanein Will Compete to Start for Lions in 2026
The Lions have a wide-open edge rusher competition, with most of the names being new. They have two of the edge rushers who are more of the speed-rusher type. Those are free-agent signing D.J. Wonnum and rookie draft pick Derrick Moore.
Wonnum is better as a pass rusher, and Moore is a bit inexperienced against the run in the NFL, so they both might defer to Hassanein on run downs. However, on pass downs, Hassanein can slide inside, and one of those two can rush off of the edge.
The other name competing is Tyler Lacy. Lacy was added after the Jacksonville Jaguars waived him last offseason. He is a bit of a tweener, and the Jaguars used him more on the inside, while the Lions are moving him around and getting the best out of him.
However, Lacy might be used more as the interior rusher than he will be setting the edge. Still, this appears to be the direct competition for Hassanein now. There are still two more games left in the preseason. That will give him at least one more chance to push Lacy to be the top big edge rusher.
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