Last year, the Detroit Lions took their top two draft selections from the 2020 NFL draft and left. Edge rusher Julian
Okwara, one of their third-round picks in 2020, was formally let go on February 14.
The Philadelphia Eagles revealed that they have signed Okwara on their official X (formerly Twitter) account.
In the postseason, the Lions cut Okwara, but the next day, they signed him back to the practice squad. In order to
make room on the roster for fellow edge rusher James Houston, who is returning from injured reserve, Detroit
dismissed Okwara.
However, Okwara was not signed by the Lions to a futures contract following the NFC championship game. After a
few weeks of unrestricted free agency, he signed a contract with the Eagles.
In the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Lions picked Okwara with the 67th overall pick. The Lions traded their
first two draft picks from that class, running back D’Andre Swift and cornerback Jeff Okudah, last year.
In the second round, Detroit chose Okudah at number three overall and Swift at number thirty-five. Since the
organization cut Okwara from the active roster around a month ago, it has been clear that his time in Detroit is
running short. The final straw for Okwara was the Lions’ refusal to offer him a futures contract; as a result, he
officially left the team and signed a deal with the Eagles.
Okwara played for the Lions for one respectable season. However, the remaining three were not that impressive.
Due to a right leg injury sustained during his debut campaign, the edge rusher missed nine games. In six games
during his first campaign, he recorded just three combined tackles and no sacks.
He recovered to produce 2021’s greatest campaign in Detroit. Okwara recorded 5 sacks and 27 total stops in 13
games, including 6 tackles for loss and 9 quarterback hits.
However, Okwara never improved upon that season. Rather, he deteriorated, finishing his 19 games with the Lions
with just 4 sacks. Okwara finished with nine sacks, fifty-four total tackles—12 tackles for loss and sixteen quarterback
hits—in 38 games. He also had one interception, one forced fumble, and three pass defenses.
Okwara was one of the Lions’ few underwhelming edge rushers in 2023.
Similar to Okwara, Charles Harris, a seasoned defensive end, excelled in 2021 but faltered in 2022. Similar to
Okwara, the organization was hoping Harris would return in 2023 after he finished the 2022 season on injured
reserve. That was not the case. Levi Onwuzurike, a defensive lineman who was also selected on the second day of the
2021 draft, did not perform as expected.
In 2023, Okwara, Harris, and Onwuzurike totaled 4.5 sacks between them.
Okwara has already joined a different squad. Harris is expected to be a free agent, and Christian Booher of SI.com’s
All Lions described Onwuzurike as a cut candidate.
Unexpectedly, Detroit would not improve their pass-rushing unit even if the Lions decide to keep Onwuzurike.
The combination of rising star Aidan Hutchinson and a top edge rusher may make the Lions’ defensive front one of
the best in the NFL.
Because of this, trade speculations this offseason have linked the Lions to veterans Joey Bosa and Haason Reddick.
Chris Jones, a pass rusher who is a potential free agent, has also been connected to the Lions.
The Lions are reportedly eyeing an edge rusher in the first round with the No. 29 overall choice in many early mock
drafts.
