Lions cornerback Amani Oruwariye finally had his deserved role in Week 9

Amani Oruwariye has earned a reduced role all season, and on Sunday it finally happened.

It’s been quite a fall for Detroit Lions cornerback Amani Oruwariye. After last season’s six-interception breakout, he has been bad this season. Like, literally, Pro Football Focus’ lowest-graded qualifying corner.

Oruwariye missed Week 2 against the Washington Commanders with a back injury. In Week 5 against the New England Patriots, he was a healthy scratch–which is a kind way to say he was benched. As much as anything, he needed a mental (and perhaps physical) break heading into the Week 6 bye.

Coming out of the bye week, Oruwariye played every defensive snap for the Lions against the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins. His level of play didn’t deserve that level of action, and it’s fair to say his drop-off this year was a black mark on now-fired defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant. But with a lack of other options, someone had to play.

Amani Oruwariye finally had the role he has earned in Week 9

Jerry Jacobs saw light action in his first two games coming off a torn ACL. But all signs pointed to him playing a lot more in Week 9 against the Packers, and it happened as the second-year man played 45 defensive snaps (61 percent).

What about Oruwariye, you say? Well, let’s take a look at the snap counts for the Lions’ cornerbacks on Sunday. Where applicable, the second number is special teams snaps.

Jeff Okudah: 62 (84 percent)
Will Harris: 56 (76 percent)– 3 (23 percent)
Jerry Jacobs: 45 (61 percent)– 7 (54 percent)
Mike Hughes: 39 (53 percent)
Amani Oruwariye: 1 (1 percent) –2 (15 percent)

With Jacobs stepping into a bigger role, Oruwariye played just one defensive snap against Green Bay.

When Oruwariye was benched for the Patriots’ game, head coach Dan Campbell cited a lack of special teams contribution as a reason. On Sunday he played two special teams snaps, his second and third defensive snaps of the season.

Oruwariye has lost something this season. It’s hard to pinpoint why, beyond his back injury possibly lingering (even without being on the injury report) and the league’s emphasis on illegal contact by defensive backs. It took until Week 9, in the games he has played, but he finally had the role he has earned.