Getty Julian Okwara during a 2020 game for the Lions.
It’s been no secret the last few years that the Detroit Lions have to find a new way to get pressure on the quarterback, and many folks have suggested many different ways to get this done, from adding new players to changing schemes.
Perhaps the best way to get it done, though, could be to have different players step up and finally realize their potential. That could be the easiest way to get back on the path of respectability for the team, and one player has a goal to do just that.
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Since joining the team as a rookie, Julian Okwara wasn’t able to make the biggest impact given the injury troubles he had on the field. With him being healthy and his brother re-signed to a new deal, though, all systems are go for a major turnaround, and that’s just what Okwara wants to see.
Speaking with the media, Okwara said it’s his goal to have him and his brother both crack the 10 sack mark at the same time together.
Julian Okwara said he wants to build a legacy that starts with both he and brother Romeo getting double-digit sacks.
If that would happen, the Detroit pass rush would be boosted in a huge way and the team would benefit. Regardless, it’s nice to hear Okwara wanting to go after a dream and make it come true.
Romeo Okwara Returned for Lions’ Family Ties
A strong market was promised for Romeo Okwara considering a lack of defensive line options in the draft, but the bad news for the rest of the league was Okwara never made it to the period. Why is that? It could have had everything to do with his brother Julian.
Speaking with the media after the deal was made official, Okwara explained it was very important to him to continue his career with the Lions thanks to the presence of his brother in the Motor City. As he said, it was a dream come true to share the same field with him in 2020, and he wanted that to be the case moving forward.
Romeo Okwara said re-signing with the Lions was a “simple decision,” said it was important to play with his brother and fulfill they vision they have for the Lions. “It’s huge,” he said of playing with his brother.
Playing with his brother, Julian, was really important to Romeo Okwara. Said he felt like there would have been a market for him but this was something he considered priceless.
Also noted both their contracts end at the same time three years from now.
Perhaps not ironically, Okwara’s contracts expire at the same time, so get ready for three more seasons of the duo in Detroit. It will certainly be interesting to watch and see how much damage the pair can do during that time, how good they can make the Detroit defense and where their careers go.
Okwara Brother Stats
If there was one dangerous pass rusher this past season for the Lions that has stepped up, it’s Okwara, who came alive at the right time for Detroit most of the 2020 season. As a whole this season, Okwara managed to collect the most sacks of any Lions player (10) and he also thrives on creating pressure and panic in the pocket. With this in mind, it’s fair to say that Okwara figures to drive the bus for Detroit in terms of pass rush and has been going it alone most of the time in Detroit. That could only boost his stock when all is said and done this offseason.
As a whole, Okwara has 16 sacks to this point in his career coming into 2020 and lost a few seasons to nagging injuries. This season, he looked all but sure to pass his high water mark of 7.5 sacks from a few years back and that happened easily. His brother has a long way to go in order to match those totals, given he hasn’t made a deep statistical impact thus far in the league with just 3 tackles and 1 tacklr for-loss.
Romeo Okwara represented the entirety of the Detroit pass rush himself last season, which is why he can hit the goal. If his brother were to do it too, that would make Detroit an even more feared team on defense.
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