It’s seemingly never too early to begin projecting what an NFL team’s roster might look like for the upcoming season. When pundits have done that for the Detroit Lions this spring, one player continues to surface as a player on the outs — Levi Onwuzurike.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton was the latest analyst to name Onwuzurike as a potential cut candidate.
“In five years, Levi Onwuzurike has missed two full seasons because of significant back and knee injuries. Last offseason, he re-signed with the Detroit Lions on a one-year deal but sat out the 2025 campaign because of a torn ACL,” wrote Moton.
“This offseason, the Lions signed sixth-year veteran Jay Tufele, who could be the third defensive tackle in a rotation with Tyleik Williams and Alim McNeil. While on the mend, Onwuzurike is likely on the roster bubble.”
In his most recent healthy season, Onwuzurike posted 28 combined tackles during 16 games in 2024. He also had 13 quarterback hits, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
As Moton indicated, Onwuzurike missed all of last season because of an ACL injury.
The Lions drafted Onwuzurike at No. 41 overall in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Levi Onwuzurike as a Potential Cut Candidate
The defensive lineman has been a cut candidate seemingly for years. But this offseason, Onwuzurike has become as popular as ever to potentially be released before the regular season.
Fansided’s Detroit Jock City’s Andrew Hughes called Onwuzurike a cut candidate even before the 2026 NFL Draft.
“While the Lions know they have a defensive tackle problem, Holmes understands the risk of bringing back a player who missed the entirety of the previous season and present him as the solution to the team’s fanbase,” wrote Hughes. “Detroit’s current brain trust is running low on confidence from this fanbase after the way 2025 unfolded as is.”
Over five seasons, Onwuzurike has missed about half of Detroit’s regular season games. In 42 contests, he has posted just 68 combined tackles, including four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
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