The Detroit Lions may have some difficult decisions next week when it comes time to trim down to the 53-man roster, and one insider believes a recent second-round pick could land on the outside of the bubble.
Defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike appeared in 16 games his rookie season in 2021, making 35 total tackles with one sack. But he has been hampered by injuries since then, missing all of the 2022 season after undergoing back surgery.
With new competition at defensive line, Onwuzurike could find himself on a new team in a few days, wrote USA Today’s Jeff Risdon.
“A second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Onwuzurike showed some promise and considerable athletic potential as a rookie,” Risdon wrote. “However, he missed the 2022 season after undergoing back surgery. Onwuzurike is healthy again but has been outplayed by lesser-known players like Benito Jones and Christian Covington in training camp. There is still potential with Onwuzurike, but he might have to explore that with another team.”
Others have pegged Onwuzurike as a cut candidate headed into the August 29 deadline for the Lions to name their 53-man roster, though the 25-year-old has also earned praise from Detroit’s coaching staff.
Roster Battle for Lions Lineman
Risdon has previously sounded the alarm for Onwuzurike, writing in USA Today’s Lions Wire in June that he could be left competing for the fifth and final spot on the defensive line this season. Risdon noted that Alim McNeill and Christian Covington are likely locked in as starters, with Brodric Martin and Isaiah Buggs backing them up.
Onwuzurike will need to shine in order to earn the final spot, he wrote.
.@Eric_Edholm previews what to watch for in Lions-Panthers tonight: Is Levi Onwuzurike’s roster spot in jeopardy in Detroit?
“If the team opts to keep five DTs on the active roster, a battle between Benito Jones, Levi Onwuzurike (if cleared to play) and UDFA rookies Chris Smith and Cory Durden figures to be highly competitive in training camp and preseason,” Risdon wrote.
Coaching Staff Praised Levi Onwuzurike
Though Onwuzurike’s sophomore season was wiped out by a back injury, the defensive lineman did earn some praise for his willingness to fight through adversity. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn spoke highly of Onwuzurike in a July interview, saying he admired how hard he worked to get back onto the field.
“I tell you what, man, take coaching and take all that aside, to see someone be able to have the injury,” Glenn said, via SI.com. “Especially a back injury at that position, to be able to come back and just fight, strain and grind, man it feels good for him. Feels good to see that.”
Glenn added that he worked closely with Onwuzurike through his rehab, saying the two were on the same page.
“I felt really, really good about that. The fact of the matter (is) that he can go through that. It tells me, it tells him more than anything, I’m okay, I’m okay,” Glenn said. “We had the conversation in the offseason, I said, ‘Levi listen, if you’re gonna do this, let’s go all in, let’s go all in and let’s go play.’ He said, ‘I’m with you coach.’ It showed up in practice, especially on that play.”
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Recent Lions 2nd-Round Pick Named Surprise Cut Candidate