Philadelphia Eagles officially end Julian Okwara's time as a Detroit Lion

Julian Okwara never quite got on track over four seasons as a Detroit Lion, and now his time with the team is over. On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Eagles announced they have signed him.

Update, Feb. 15. 5:40 p.m. ET: ESPN's Adam Schefter has reported the Eagles signed Okwara to a one-year deal worth up to $2.675 million.

Okwara was cut late this past season, then signed back to the practice squad. He was not elevated to the active roster for any of the Lions’ playoff games, and when the season ended he was not signed to a futures deal. When that happened, he became a street free agent and could sign with any team (including the Lions) at any time.

A third-round pick in the 2020 draft out of Notre Dame after injuries hampered his college career, Okwara was easy to consider a high-upside pass rusher with ideal length and physicality. But that upside never translated to much in Detroit, as injuries took him out of the lineup on a regular basis. Over 38 games with the Lions (four starts), he had nine sacks and 16 quarterback hits. In nine games this past season, he had two sacks.

Overhaul of Lions' edge rusher group starts with Julian Okwara departure

The Lions got virtually nothing from their edge rusher group outside of Aidan Hutchinson this past season. Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara are slated to be free agents when the new league starts on March 13, and they are virtually sure to gone. Julian Okwara's future with the team was foretold when he was not signed to a futures deal after ending the season on the practice squad. The Lions did not even have a spot for him on the 90-man offseason roster.

The Lions need to find more pass rush off the edge to go with Hutchinson. However that looks, via free agency, a trade? or the draft, an overhaul of the rest of the edge rusher group should be coming.

With Okwara gone, pending free agent guard Jonah Jackson is the last player left from Bob Quinn's final draft class as Lions' general manager.