Getty Romeo Okwara pursues a sack of Mitch Trubisky in 2020.
The Detroit Lions lost a lot on the field in 2021 when Romeo Okwara went down with injury, and the team is being forced to wait a bit for his return.
Okwara started the 2022 season on the PUP list as he crafts a return from the ACL injury which cost him in Week 4, but the good news is, there doesn’t seem to be any worries about him coming back at this point in time.
Speaking after practice on Wednesday, August 3, Okwara discussed with the media where he is at. As he explained to reporters including Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News, he believes he will be able to play this season.
#Lions DE Romeo Okwara, who tore his achilles in Week 4 last season, said he’s “very optimistic” he’ll return this year. He said he’s “running, moving a little more than I was before.”
Okwara was placed on the PUP list in July.
“Lions DE Romeo Okwara, who tore his achilles in Week 4 last season, said he’s “very optimistic” he’ll return this year. He said he’s “running, moving a little more than I was before.” Okwara was placed on the PUP list in July,” Bianchi tweeted.
To hear Okwara is doing well is a significant health victory for the Lions. The team wants to make sure they can get the most out of him that they can, and given his importance to the roster, it feels significant that he will be able to feel better and move more fluidly.
ACL injuries involve different timetables for players. It seems the team knows Okwara is a little further away at this point, but he might not be shelved for the whole season.
That’s very good news for the Lions at this point in time.
Okwara’s Return Vital for Lions’ Defense
If there is one player the Lions can’t afford to be without for a long period, it’s Okwara. The veteran is one of the better rising pass rushers on the team and a key part of the plan moving forward.
After the Lions signed Okwara off the waiver wire, he immediately proved to be a find, posting 20 sacks with the team over the last four seasons. Better than that, Okwara has proven to be the one example of a consistent pass rush that the Lions have seen.
Signing Okwara to a multi-year deal was the first big move general manager Brad Holmes made after taking office. That shows what a major part of the plan the team thinks he can be.
Last season, Detroit collected only a grand total of 30 sacks. The team has to find a way to chase down more quarterbacks, and Okwara is a player who figures to play a big role toward doing that.
Okwara’s Career Stats & Highlights
Sadly, the Lions lost Okwara last year before he had a chance to really get things going on his 2021 year. He had only 6 total tackles and 1 sack before going down.
The injury didn’t diminish what Okwara has done, however. He has been the most active pass rusher the team has seen. Okwara came alive at the right time for Detroit most of the 2020 season. As a whole that season, Okwara managed to collect the most sacks of any Lions player with 10, and also collected the most tackles in one season of his career with 44.
Okwara thrives on creating pressure in the pocket. His presence was missed by a Lions team that again struggled to get after the quarterback last year, so his healthy return would mean a great deal to the defense for 2022.
Here’s a look at some of his work in Detroit from the past:
Detroit could use this kind of bounce-back from Okwara. With his eventual healthy return, the team’s defense will only be stronger.