3. LB Julian Okwara
The younger Okwara brother the Lions have in the fold certainly has plenty of potential. But he has not been able to stay healthy, going back into his college career at Notre Dame. Last year, it was a leg injury during training camp. Then an unlucky elbow injury, when he braced himself from a fall, laned him on IR and ended his 2022 season.
Looking purely at the Lions’ edge rusher spot, it’s deep and looking hard to crack for a substantial role–Aidan Hutchinson, James Houston, Romeo Okwara, Charles Harris. Even looking to off-the-ball linebacker, where a place could possibly be found for the younger Okwara, the Lions go four deep there with capable players (Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, Malcolm Rodriguez, Derrick Barnes) and Jalen Reeves-Maybin has special teams value.
Julian Okwara may stick around for awhile on the Lions’ roster all the way to final cuts. But the odds, based purely on a numbers game at the spots he plays, are against him making it to Week 1 on the final 53-man roster and playing an snap for the Lions in 2023.
Okwara could have some trade value, but an outright cut is definitely possible.