Romeo

Okwara

Okwara announced his retirement on social media, saying he has “decided to step away from the NFL.” He first entered the league as an undrafted free agent, spending two seasons with the Giants before breaking out with the Lions. He totaled 7.5 sacks in 2018 and really took off for the Lions in 2020 with 10 sacks. However, Okwara battled a torn Achilles after that, playing just nine games between 2021-2022. He appeared in 16 games in 2023, but could not return to his former self, mostly playing as a rotational pass-rusher. Okwara ends his NFL career with 25 career sacks in eight seasons.

Okwara is recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in October and hadn’t been participating in mini-camp, no real surprise there. Paschal was dealing with a vague “lower extremity” injury that limited him early in the offseason. Jacobs is recovering from an ACL tear in December.

Okwara is still recovering from a torn Achilles injury that ended his 2021 season in Week 4. One of the better players along the Lions’ DL, Okwara was awarded a three-year, $39 million contract last offseason after a 10 sack season that included 61 QB pressures in 2020. No specific timeline has been laid out for Okwara’s return, however defensive line coach Todd Walsh did share that he will serve specifically as a DE upon his return.

Okwara signed a three-year, $39 million deal with the Lions in March following his 10-sack 2020 campaign. Okwara had the fifth most QB pressures among EDGE rushers last season, and was graded as Pro Football Focus’ sixth best EDGE rusher through Week 3. His absence will make Detroit’s defense even more toothless than it has been in the early going.

Outright released by the Giants in 2018, Okwara, 26 in June, careered with 10 sacks and the fifth-most pressures (61) among the league’s EDGE rushers in his contract year in Detroit. With Shaq Barrett and Markus Golden additionally off the market, Okwara’s lucrative deal is expected to pave the way for others — Carl Lawson, Yannick Ngakoue, etc. — in the same free agency boat. Okwara’s long-term deal also proves that the Lions are still interested in building around young core pieces despite allowing Kenny Golladay to walk.

The 25-year-old broke all the way out for 10 sacks in 2020, operating as one of the Lions’ best overall players. It is surprising to let a young talent like that walk, but Okwara has a thin overall résumé, while the Lions are hurting for cap space. Okwara will be one of the biggest wild cards on the open market.

It’s a forward-thinking move from the Lions. Okwara had a breakout 2018, posting 7.5 sacks and 39 tackles as a 14-game starter. The deal pays him slightly more than the second-round RFA tender and buys out one of his free agent years. With Ziggy Ansah’s status up in the air, Detroit is locking up its second-best pass rusher.

He suffered the injury in practice last week. The 2016 UDFA had played just 78 snaps so far this season after starting four games as a rookie.

Okwara (6'5/265) was a two-year starter on the Fighting Irish defensive line, logging 19.5 career tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. His Combine workout was mediocre, running 4.90 with a 33-inch vertical and 10-foot broad jump. A long-armed (34 1/8") edge player missing quickness, flexibility, and NFL-level speed, Okwara might fit best in a Manny Lawson-type role. He’ll have to earn his keep on special teams first.

LB Jeremy Cash was waived in a corresponding roster move. A second-year UDFA, Okwara had played a modest 78 snaps before going down in mid-October.