​The Arizona Cardinals will report to training camp on July 22 to begin the work of preparing for the regular season, shaping the roster, and determining starting roles and responsibilities across the squad. In the lead-up to the camp, we will examine every player who appeared on the offseason roster, exploring their backgrounds, contract situations, performance in 2025, the questions they face, and their outlook for making the team.
First, here is nose tackle Roy Lopez. Lopez is a product of Mesquite High School in Gilbert, Arizona, and he played college football at New Mexico State and the University of Arizona before being selected by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent two seasons with the Texans, followed by two seasons with the Cardinals. He then spent the 2025 season with the Detroit Lions, returning to the Cardinals after playing all 17 games for Detroit. In that 2025 season with the Lions, Lopez recorded 30 tackles (11 solo), four tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, two sacks, and a pass defensed. He appeared in 425 defensive snaps (39 percent) and contributed 72 special-teams snaps (15 percent).
Lopez signed a two-year, $10.5 million contract with the Cardinals in March, including $6 million guaranteed—comprised of a $4 million signing bonus and a $2 million base salary. The deal also features per-game roster bonuses totaling up to $340,000 (up to $20,000 per game) and a $50,000 offseason workout bonus. His salary-cap charge for the contract stands at $4.39 million.
The Cardinals expect Lopez to play a pivotal role inside the defensive line, contributing substantial snaps and drawing attention from interior blockers so his teammates can pursue plays effectively in the run defense. As training camp approaches, the team will assess how Lopez fits into the defensive scheme, his durability, and how his presence can help unlock the Motor of the front-end by anchoring the middle and freeing pass rushers to apply pressure.
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