2024 Cardinals roster preview: DL Roy Lopez

The Arizona Cardinals will open training camp July 23 and begin the process of preparing for the regular season, forming the roster and determining starting jobs and roles on the team.

Leading up to the start of camp, we will take a look at every player on the offseason roster, their background, their contract, their play in 2023, questions they face and their roster outlook.

Next up is defensive lineman Roy Lopez

Background

Lopez returned home to Arizona when the Cardinals signed him to the practice squad on Sept. 23, 2023, and then signed him to the active roster three days later. Lopez attended Mesquite High School in Gilbert, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix, and his father, Roy Lopez Sr., is the head coach at Desert Ridge High School in Phoenix. He finished his college career in 2020 at the University of Arizona after playing four years at New Mexico State. He was selected by the Texans in the sixth round of the 2021 draft and was in Houston until being waived with an injury settlement on Sept. 4, 2023. In two seasons, Lopez played 33 games with 29 starts with the Texans and had 67 tackles (40 solo) with 11 for loss and five quarterback hits. He played 501 and 558 snaps on defense and 124 and 130 on special teams.

2023 stats

After coming to the Cardinals, Lopez played 14 games with five starts and participated in 395 defensive snaps plus eight on special teams. He compiled 42 tackles (22 solo) with two for loss.

2024 contract details, cap hit

The contract he signed with the Cardinals in 2023 included this season, which carries a $1.055 million salary and cap charge, the veteran minimum for players with three credited seasons.

Questions he faces

Lopez will be facing intense competition for a job in training camp, so the question will be whether he is up to the task. A relentless worker, he will answer that affirmatively, but will it be enough?

2024 roster outlook

Of the group of linemen added by the Cardinals after training camp last year, Lopez might stand the best chance of winning a roster spot. If he doesn’t, he would likely be the first choice for the practice squad if he can clear waivers.

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