Lions 2021 second-round choose faces unsure future resulting from again points

The Lions took a threat after they drafted Levi Onwuzurike in 2021. The again points the defensive lineman confronted in school have remained on the NFL degree, and so they have put his taking part in future in danger.

Onwuzurike entered the league with loads of promise and expectations as a second-round choose. He was in a position to play 16 video games as a rookie regardless of missed time in the summertime resulting from power again illnesses. The UCLA product confirmed potential in a rotational function, totaling 35 tackles whereas including one sack and two tackles for loss.

That might have supplied a stepping stone to a bigger workload in 2022, however Onwuzurike reaggravated his current problem throughout the first follow of the summer time, leading to an IR stint. By October, it had turn out to be clear that suiting up throughout the season wouldn’t have been doable. Consequently, he underwent surgical procedure aimed toward giving him the very best likelihood doable of continuous his profession in 2023 and past. When offering an replace on his standing, head coach Dan Campbell was unable to definitively level to a return at any time sooner or later.

“We simply must see how it’s,” he mentioned, by way of Kyle Meinke of mlive.com. “We talked to him a few weeks in the past, he was doing good. The rehab has gone properly, however you simply don’t know. You don’t know with a again. However I imply actually, he’s going to get a possibility if the physique will enable it.”

Certainly, a path to vital taking part in time actually exists for Onwuzurike. The 25-year-old has little in the way in which of veterans forward of him on the depth chart, particularly since Detroit moved on from
Michael Brockers earlier this offseason. The crew’s different strikes alongside the defensive inside have included re-signing Isaiah Buggs, Benito Jones and John Cominsky. An outdoor addition late in free company and/or a notable funding within the draft would come as little shock given the Lions’ scenario on the place. Notably if Onwuzurike isn’t in a position to follow and play on a constant foundation, such motion might turn out to be vital.