Julian Okwara never quite got on track during his four seasons as a Detroit Lion, and now his time with the team is up. On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Eagles announced his signing.
Okwara was released late last season and then signed back to the practice squad. He was not added to the active roster for any of the Lions’ playoff games, and when the season concluded, he was not signed to a futures contract. When that happened, he became a street free agent, meaning he could join with any team (including the Lions) at anytime.
Okwara, a third-round choice in the 2020 draft out of Notre Dame after injuries hindered his collegiate career, was widely regarded as a high-potential pass rusher with excellent length and physicality. But that potential never materialized in Detroit, as injuries kept him out of the lineup on a regular basis. In 38 games with the Lions (four starts), he has nine sacks and 16 quarterback hits. In nine games this season, he had two sacks.
Overhaul of Lions’ edge rusher group begins with Julian Okwara’s departure.
This past season, the Lions received almost nothing from their edge rusher group other than Aidan Hutchinson. Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara are set to be free agents when the new league begins on March 13, and they are almost certainly gone. Julian Okwara’s future with the team was predetermined when he was not signed to a futures contract after finishing the season on the practice squad. The Lions didn’t even have room for him on the 90-man offseason roster.
The Lions need to find more pass rushers off the edge to complement Hutchinson. However, it appears like an overhaul of the remaining edge rusher group will occur through free agency, a trade, or the draft.
With Okwara gone, Jonah Jackson, a potential free agent guard, is the lone player remaining from Bob Quinn’s final selection class as Lions general manager.
