Discussion: Can Levi Onwuzurike still make a difference?

On Wednesday, Dan Campbell was asked about how Levi Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal have been developing this offseason, and the Detroit Lions coach used the opportunity to express his cautious optimism about Onwuzurike.

“I just want to be careful because we’re not in pads, I just want to reiterate that, but Levi is having a really good spring,” Campbell said. “Paschal is too but Levi – because where he’s come from and all he’s had to deal with, I mean, this guy just has continued to rehab, he’s continued to train his body and work, he’s put on weight because his back can handle it now, we got him through last year to where he’s able to bank some reps and he’s having a really good spring,”

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Onwuzurike has put his back injury in his past. Last year, he wrote about his entire ordeal, and it seemed like it was mostly behind him. He played 10 games, but only averaged about a dozen snaps a game and didn’t make much of an impact.

Spring practices are always the time of year for optimism, and there’s no reason to say definitively that Onwuzurike can’t finally reach his potential in Year 4. However, this is also the time of year for “best shape of his life” stories that often don’t actually pan out on the field.

So today’s Question of the Day is:

Will Levi Onwuzurike still make a difference for the Lions in 2024?

My answer: I’m not going to pick a side here, but I will note a couple things that at least give me some confidence this isn’t just a stereotypical offseason optimism story. For one, Onwuzurike has nearly a full season of play behind him, and he’s finally entering this offseason with truly no limitations. That tells me there’s some level of stability with his back that he quite literally hasn’t had since college. Additionally, the fact that the Lions told him to put on an addition 15-20 pounds—and he’s carrying it without any problems—shows to me that everyone feels confident that back is not a problem right now.

So, to me, this question is more about whether Onwuzurike can actually ball, and that’s the hardest question to answer. There are certainly some incredible physical attributes he has that led the Lions to make him a second-round pick in the first place. His quick get-off and ability to turn that speed into power would be a welcome addition to bring some interior pass rush. We just haven’t seen him do it at a consistent level at the NFL level.

Additionally, there’s a question to whether Onwuzurike will even have the opportunity to make plays. While he’s getting plenty of work with the first team right now—and making consistent plays, for that matter—that’s without the likes of DJ Reader in the lineup. He’ll also have youngsters like Josh Paschal and Mekhi Wingo nipping at his heels.

In other words, there are a lot of hills to climb for Onwuzurike to not only make the roster, but to make an impact on Sundays. Of course, the fact that he has overcome all of this adversity in his first three years in the NFL shows his grit, perseverance, and motivation. He will not go quietly into the night.

What do you think of Onwuzurike? Vote in the poll below and explain your answer in the comment section at the bottom of the page.