Tag: Levi Onwuzurike

6 Lions I’ll be watching closely in joint practices vs. the Jaguars

6 Detroit Lions I’ll be watching closely in joint practices vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars

Joint practices fire up once again in Allen Park this week. The Jacksonville Jaguars come to town for joint practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday in advance of Saturday’s preseason game between the two teams at Ford Field.

Much like last week when the New York Giants practiced with the Lions, it’s a great opportunity to see Dan Campbell’s Detroit team do what they do against different opponents. It’s a critical proving ground and a chance to try out ideas or techniques in game-style action without worry of losing or failure.

Here are six Lions I’ll be focused on in the joint practices this week.

 

Lions vs Giants: Best and worst PFF grades from Detroit’s preseason win

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst PFF performers for the Detroit Lions against the New York Giants.

The Detroit Lions kicked off their season with a 21-16 victory over the New York Giants in their first preseason game. Despite many of the team’s key players sitting out, the Lions’ management was able to evaluate potential roster candidates.

The game started off slowly, with the offense struggling, but the defense saved the day by repeatedly stepping up to the challenge and shutting down their opponents. Although some areas showed promise, others may require further evaluation by the Lions’ management.

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst Pro Footbal Focus (PFF) performers, highlighting those who impressed and those who fell short in their bid for a coveted roster spot.

10 Lions to watch closely in the preseason opener vs. the Giants

It’s going to be a big night for several Lions, including these 10 Detroit players

The Detroit Lions host the New York Giants in the 2023 preseason opener for both teams. After two days of joint practices in Allen Park, the teams take their action to Ford Field for the kickoff of exhibition season.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell refused to indicate if the regular, established starters would play. Even if they do, it’s almost certainly on a very limited basis; the preseason isn’t about the starters.

It’s about the reserves and the position battles and the rookies getting their first taste of NFL action. Here are 10 Lions who wear at least one of those hats who will be important players to focus upon against the Giants.

Lions camp notebook: July ends with a defensive bang

The Detroit Lions training camp notebook from July 31st features some great defense, hot tempers and an unfortunate injury

Monday morning marked the third padded practice of Detroit Lions training camp. After a light day on Sunday, everything amped up for the Monday session.

Spirits were high and tempers short on a sun-soaked morning with the bleachers packed full of fans. Those in attendance got to see some impressive defensive performances, a handful of scuffles and even a bad-looking injury.

Here’s the notebook from the Lions practice on the final day of July.

Levi Onwuzurike cleared to practice to start Lions training camp

Onwuzurike missed the 2022 season with his ongoing back injury but he’s ready to roll in 2023

There was some very welcomed injury news for the Detroit Lions to start training camp. Defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike passed his team physical and was cleared to be an active participant in practices.

It’s a sign of progress for Onwuzurike, Detroit’s second-round pick out of Washington in the 2021 NFL draft. He played in a reserve role as a rookie, logging 35 tackles and one sack. Head coach Dan Campbell sounded optimistic about Onwuzurike’s progress.

“Levi’s going. He’ll get some reps today, and we’ll just progress Levi in as we go,” Campbell said before the morning practice.

Onwuzurike reaggravated the long-running back injury on the very first snap of full-contact practice in the 2022 Lions training camp. He had surgery on the back and missed the entire season. Onwuzurike had opted out of the 2020 college season, so he’s only played one season of football since 2019.

The 25-year-old moved much better than anticipated during the June minicamp. While not cleared at that time for team drills, Onwuzurike did work with trainers and did individual activities on his own:

Here’s hoping Onwuzurike and his troublesome back can hold up through training camp.

Lions players who could begin training camp on the PUP or NFI list

Some Lions players might not be medically ready to roll at the start of training camp

The Detroit Lions report for training camp later this month. All 90 players on the team’s roster will be in the team’s training facility in Allen Park for the annual process of setting the roster and getting the team ready for the regular season.

Some players might not be physically ready to practice right away, however. Those players typically wind up being placed on one of two lists: physically unable to perform (PUP) or non-football injury (NFI).

There isn’t any practical difference in the football playing status between the PUP list and the NFI list. It deals more with the source of the injury and does carry some contractual ramifications, as nicely explained by the NFL.

Players who get placed on the active/PUP list or active/NFI list are allowed to do conditioning drills, participate in team meetings and work with coaches and staff individually. They also count toward the 90-man offseason roster. They are not permitted to participate in practices or team drills until activated, which require clearance by the team’s medical staff.

Here are some Lions who could begin training camp on one of the lists. As long as a player starts camp on the list, he can be activated at any time prior to the final roster cutdowns.

Lions minicamp notebook: Day 2 sees the defense rise again

Detroit Lions minicamp notebook from the 2nd practice, with notes on the defense making plays, OL woes, coaching points and more

The second session of the Detroit Lions minicamp took a familiar theme from the first day and ran wild with it. For the second practice in a row, the defense emphatically outplayed the offense, from the first team through the bottom of the roster.

It was even more pronounced on Wednesday, largely because the offense simply wasn’t as sharp as it was during Tuesday’s practice. Other than a couple of noteworthy exceptions, the defense dominated their offensive counterparts on the hazy, breezy afternoon in Allen Park.

Here’s the notebook from Wednesday’s session of Lions minicamp. There is one more day left on Thursday.

Watch: 1st Lions OTA practice recap and breakdown

Thoughts and observations on the press conferences, undrafted rookies, Jamo, Levi O and more

After the first Detroit Lions OTA session open to the media, I had a lot on my mind. In conjunction with the Detroit Lions Podcast, I shot a recap video summarizing what stood out in Allen Park on a brisk but sunny Thursday afternoon.

Among the topics covered in the summary video:

  • Aaron Glenn’s press conference thoughts
  • The ever-fluid kicker situation
  • Jameson Williams not having a great day
  • Some of the Lions UDFAs who stood out
  • Dan Campbell’s words and actions on team expectations, and also his awesome shirt
  • Levi Onwuzurike’s status
  • What’s important to watch in May and what can be put aside

The audio-only version of the show is available via your favorite podcast provider.

Dan Campbell provides an update on injured Lions DL Levi Onwuzurike

Head coach Dan Campbell provides an update on injured Lions DL Levi Onwuzurike

One of the openings on the Detroit Lions defensive line wasn’t supposed to be there. The Lions drafted Levi Onwuzurike two years ago to play the exact spot that remains largely unfilled as an upfield tackle.

Onwuzurike has barely played since being the 41st pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He missed the entire 2022 season after aggravating a long-running back injury on the very first rep of full contact in training camp. The back issue goes back several years for Onwuzurike to his earlier days at the University of Washington.

Head coach Dan Campbell offered a brief, solemn update on the big DT and his ongoing back problems.

“We talked to him a couple of weeks ago, he was doing good, the rehab has gone well,” Campbell said via Dave Birkett of the Free Press. “But you just don’t know. You don’t know with a back. But I mean certainly, he’s going to get an opportunity if the body will allow it.”

It’s that last phrase that is the troublesome part for Onwuzurike.

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Lions injury update after the bye week

Here’s the latest on players like Jerry Jacobs, Josh Paschal, Romeo Okwara and more as the Lions prep for the Week 7 trip to Dallas to play the Cowboys.

Now that the Detroit Lions have had some time off with the bye in Week 6, it’s time for a quick update on several of the injured players. Head coach Dan Campbell offered some tidbits on a few Lions who have been battling injuries.

Here’s the latest on players like Jerry Jacobs, Josh Paschal, Romeo Okwara and more as the Lions prep for the Week 7 trip to Dallas to play the Cowboys.