Levi Onwuzurike was the Detroit Lions’ second-round pick way back in 2021. The second ever draft pick of general manager Brad Holmes, there were high hopes that Onwuzurike could help fortify the defensive line for years to come.
And while Onwuzurike remains on the roster a full five years later, injuries have taken a toll and he hasn’t yet lived up to that draft billing. But thanks to a little-known contract stipulation, Onwuzurike is back in 2026 with his injuries apparently behind him. Is it possible
he can take this last chance with Detroit and parlay it into a successful career? Let’s explore in our latest 2026 Detroit Lions player preview.
Previous season previews: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Sione Vaki, WR Jameson Williams, OT Penei Sewell, EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
Expectations in 2025
Onwuzurike was slated for a very important role in 2025. Coming off his best season as a pro–starting 10 games in 2024, earning 1.5 sacks, 13 QB hits, and 47 pressure (per PFF)–he was expected to be a big part of Detroit’s interior pass rush. With Alim McNeill expected to miss at least the first month of the season, Onwuzurike’s role was pivotal. That’s why Detroit gave him a one-year, $4 million that was nearly all guaranteed.
Actual role in 2025
Did not play: Torn ACL
On the first day of training camp, coach Dan Campbell revealed that Onwuzurike was out of the season after getting ACL surgery. Campbell said about a month after signing his deal, Onwuzurike started having more and more issues with his knee and it wasn’t getting better.
Detroit was forced to rely upon the likes of rookie Tyleik Williams, DJ Reader, and Roy Lopez to create interior pressure. It didn’t work.
Outlook for 2026
The Lions were able to retain Onwuzurike because he was on the final year of his contract and spent the entire season on the reserve/PUP list. CBA rules allow the Lions to simply toll over that contract and run it back for another year on a very reasonable one-year, $1.215 million deal.
That contract doesn’t guarantee Onwuzurike will make the team, but if he can stay healthy there is certainly a role for him.
Detroit is relatively thin on the interior. While McNeill is back and Williams is entering a pivotal Year 2, gone now are both Reader and Lopez. Detroit’s adds at defensive tackle were all very low value, including free agent Jay Tufele (one year, $1.2M) and Day 3 draft picks Skyler Gill-Howard and Tyre West.
And what puts Onwuzurike ahead of those players when it comes to securing a roster spot is that he can play pretty much any position along the interior.
“When you look at Levi, he’s just kind of a, the way we play, I say a jack of all trades,” defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers said in June. “We have what we call the big end position. He definitely can do that. If we have to move him to nose, I believe he could do that. He can play three-technique.”
At nose, Onwuzurike would share time with Williams. At three-tech, he’d back up McNeill. And at the big end position, he’ll contend for playing time with Tyler Lacy, Tyre West, and Ahmed Hassanein. In short, he’s a versatile piece that gives the Lions a Swiss Army Knife to deploy based on their current needs.
The biggest question for Onwuzurike, though, is whether he can recapture some of the promise from that 2024 season. Back and ACL injuries are no joke, and while Onwuzurike has been effective at times on the field, it has yet to be seen whether he will come out of the other end of these injuries the same player he was trending to be.
Talking to Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers earlier this offseason, Onwuzurike said he is beyond both the physical and mental hurdles from the ACL.
Once I came out here, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m good. I’m no longer worried about it,'” Onwuzurike said.
But he doesn’t just want to get back to 2024, he wants to build upon it. Because for as much disruption as Onwuzurike caused with his 13 quarterback hits and 47 pressures that year, he still had just 1.5 sacks. In fact, he’s only had 3.5 sacks for his entire career.
“It’s really just about finishing. finishing plays and getting to the QB faster,” Onwuzurike said.
