Getty Romeo Okwara celebrates a play in 2019 with Detroit.
After two seasons marked by injuries and inconsistent play, Detroit Lions defensive end Romeo Okwara could be due for a fresh start with a new team, a new report suggests.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder wrote an article suggesting late-summer trade for all 32 NFL teams, and for the Lions pegged Okwara as the top candidate. He noted that Okwara was limited to nine games over the course of the last two injury-shortened seasons, racking up just three sacks and 14 total tackles during that time.
With Okwara slated as a backup behind budding star Aidan Hutchinson, Holder suggested it could be time for the Lions to explore his value on the trade market.
Romeo Okwara Could Be ‘Intriguing Option’ for Another Team
Holder suggested that Okwara could still have high value on the trade market despite the recent rough patch in his career. The Notre Dame defensive end had a 10-sack season for the Lions in 2020, which Holder wrote could “make him an intriguing option for a team that’s looking for some pass-rush help.”
The Lions could also find some cap relief by trading Okwara, he added.
“The Lions should be willing to move him seeing as that would save them about $2.15 million of cap space this season and he’s going to hit free agency in the offseason,” Holder wrote. “Keeping some cash while picking up assets for a backup player would be a pretty good deal.”
Okwara has already helped the team by agreeing to a significant pay cut, having his base salary reduced to $2 million for the upcoming season, down from the $11 million he had originally been owed.
Romeo Okwara Under Pressure
This could be a pivotal season for Okwara, with SI.com’s Vito Chirco writing in June that it was time for the defensive end to “put up or shut up.” Okwara is facing pressure to prove that he can return to form on an improving Lions defense, he added.
“He’s failed to stay healthy the past two seasons, and has suited up for just nine total games. And remember, the best ability as a pro athlete is availability, and it’s a trait he hasn’t possessed for a couple of seasons now,” Chirco wrote.
Romeo Okwara took a huge pay cut for the 2023 season 👀 #OnePride
Okwara must also prove that he has moved beyond the injury that significantly shortened each of the last two seasons. He suffered a torn Achilles in the 2021 season and was unable to return until Week 13 of the last season, and appeared hampered in the games he was able to play.
There could be some uplifting signs for the upcoming season. Okwara said in an interview on 97.1 The Ticket that he felt “more explosive, stronger, faster” than he had before the injury and wanted to prove the Lions right for staying committed to him.
“Detroit’s my home,” Okwara said. “And I think it was really important for me to be here and just keep building on what we’ve started since I’ve been here. So I didn’t really think too much of it. That’s just part of the business and I’m glad to be here.”