The Detroit Lions released defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike on Friday, Sept. 11, two days before their season opener against the New Orleans Saints.
A second-round pick out of Washington in 2021, Onwuzurike was expected to play a rotational role on the Lions' defensive line this fall and still could return on the 53-man roster next week or to the practice squad on Saturday.
NFL teams sometimes release veterans before the start of the regular season to avoid having their contracts guaranteed for the season. All vested veterans on Week 1 rosters have their salaries guaranteed.
ROSTER WORK: Lions close to naming starting LG; Izien's status vs Saints uncertain
The Lions would avoid guaranteeing Onwuzurike's salary by re-signing him to the practice squad, according to OverTheCap.com, but still could elevate him for Sunday's game.

#still

The Detroit Lions released defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike on Friday, Sept. 11, two days before their season opener against the New Orleans Saints.
A second-round pick out of Washington in 2021, Onwuzurike was expected to play a rotational role on the Lions' defensive line this fall and still could return on the 53-man roster next week or to the practice squad on Saturday.
NFL teams sometimes release veterans before the start of the regular season to avoid having their contracts guaranteed for the season. All vested veterans on Week 1 rosters have their salaries guaranteed.
ROSTER WORK: Lions close to naming starting LG; Izien's status vs Saints uncertain
The Lions would avoid guaranteeing Onwuzurike's salary by re-signing him to the practice squad, according to OverTheCap.com, but still could elevate him for Sunday's game.

#lions #onwuzurike #defensive #still

The Detroit Lions defeated the Washington Commanders 17-13 on Saturday afternoon in their second preseason game of 2026. Obviously, the final score of the game matters little, but there were certainly developments during the game that were positive and negative.
We'll cover plenty of both over the next few days as we break down the film, advanced statistics, and individual plays, but for now, let's talk about the big-picture positives.
Today's Question of the Day is:
My answer: It has to be the continued strong play of the defensive line.
On Saturday, the Lions saw a ton of great play from their big guys on defense. Derrick Moore provided a sack in his first NFL action. Rookie Skyler Gill-Howard was a total menace as a pass rusher throughout the game. I thought it was a promising game from Levi Onwuzurike, Tyler Lacy, and although his chances were limited to the very end of the game, Eric O'Neill looked disruptive again. And starter DJ Wonnum kicked things off with a solid performance, including a sack.

#lions #we 'll

The Lions have completed their first week of 2026 OTA. That means we have some injury and participation updates on various players. That includes Levi Onwuzurike who has made a remarkable recovery from spinal fusion, but is now recovering from an ACL. He was a participant at OTA.
Here is my ****** ysis of what Onwuzurike's OTA participation means for his health as excerpted from Lions OTA Day 3: Dan Campbell Injury & Participation Updates:
In February, I reviewed the curious medical situations of Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal. In summary, Onwuzurike had ACL surgery around May 2025 - shortly after signing a 1-year free agent contract. There were (and still are) many reasons why the Lions might move on, but it looks like they are giving Levi every opportunity to earn a spot. This should be seen as good news for his health and outlook.
Unless there is a setback with the knee, Onwuzurike should be ready in plenty of time for training camp and the season. However, production expectations should be tempered in the first year back from an ACL, as seen with fellow lineman Alim McNeill.
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