Detroit Lions defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike is expected to face a fight for his job this summer, but has been off to a good start at practices and appeared to get a boost from head coach Dan Campbell.
Analysts have predicted that the former second-round pick will be on the outside of the roster bubble as the team heads into summer. While players have yet to face the tougher competition of training camp, Onwuzurike has earned some strong marks at the team’s first practices in June and got some good reviews from Campbell.
Dan Campbell Praises Embattled Lineman
Onwuzurike has faced plenty of adversity since joining the Lions as a second-round pick in 2021, losing his second season to a back injury and returning to a light role in 2023. He appeared in 10 games, making 1 sack with 5 total tackles.
But Campbell said he has seen some steady improvement from the 26-year-old, noting that he has been able to gain weight since going through rehab.
“Levi is having a really good spring,” Campbell said, via USA Today’s Lions Wire. “(Josh) Paschal is too but Levi – because where he’s come from and all he’s had to deal with, I mean, this guy just has continued to rehab, he’s continued to train his body and work, he’s put on weight because his back can handle it now, we got him through last year to where he’s able to bank some reps and he’s having a really good spring.”
Jeff Risdon, Lions Wire reporter, noted that Onwuzurike’s career appeared to be in danger when he had to undergo spinal fusion surgery to correct his back issues, but now looks to be back on track to earn a spot in the defensive line depth chart. He noted that Onwuzurike “destroyed” second-year quarterback Hendon Hooker on a sniffed-out bootleg and had many wins against offensive linemen in practice.
Risdon added that Onwuzurike is up to 300 pounds, from 280 at the start of last year, and the addition of muscle is “noticeable.”
“The best way I can explain it is everything is moving together as one. Speed to power, my whole body feels like one, all together,” Onwuzurike said.
Insider Predicted Tough Road for Levi Onwuzurike
The outlook was not always so clear for Onwuzurike. As the team prepared to start practices in the spring, Christian Booher of SI.com’s All Lions predicted that the defensive lineman could end up being released as a cap casualty.
“Onwuzurike has had an underwhelming start to his career after being a 2021 second-round pick,” Booher wrote. “A decision to part ways with the Washington product this offseason would generate just under $1.8 million in cap savings.
“Onwuzurike still has potential to be an impact player for the Lions, so he may be a tough player to move on from. However, he was a healthy scratch at points and played in just 10 regular season games.”
SB Nation’s John Whiticar also predicted that sixth-round draft pick Mekhi Wingo could end up pushing Onwuzurike off the roster.
“The drafting of Wingo, meanwhile, makes Onwuzurike expendable, and it might be the final straw for the former second rounder,” Whiticar wrote.
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