Detroit Lions defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike has not been able to live up to his comments made when the team made him a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
"I like f***ing people up. I like to get off the line and just put my helmet or my hands on an offensive lineman and f**k up an offensive scheme, pretty much," Onwuzurike said after being drafted. "I like pushing 'em back two or three yards and just making 'em feel like s**t."
Unfortunately, it has been nearly a year and a half since he has appeared on a football field.
A nagging back injury resulted in the 25-year-old undergoing surgery in October, ending his sophomore campaign in Motown. During his rookie season, Onwuzurike recorded one sack and three quarterback pressures in 16 games.
There is mild optimism the medical staff could at some point clear Onwuzurike during training camp, but the team has proceeded with caution given the delicate nature of anyone undergoing a back surgery.
“I would say he’s probably about right on schedule for what we thought,” Dan Campbell told reporters this offseason. “He just got on the grass, really about a week ago, to where he can begin to run. And so, really it’s okay, how fast can -- now that he’s moving, he’s out there on the grass, he’s able to run, he's off the Ultra G, how fast can his body come back? We don’t entirely have that answer.”
With Detroit's defenses being revamped, Onwuzurike may find himself being the odd man out, as Josh Paschal, James Houston, Charles Harris, Julian Okwara, Romeo Okwara are healthy and ready to compete for playing time.
Speaking with a local paper, the ex-Washington lineman indicated he is taking measured steps towards achieving his goal of returning to action.
"With Fisch (Brett Fischer) and the coaches, it's little by little, trying to have everyday wins," Onwuzurike said, via the Detroit News. "You can't just go from not playing to playing. You have to inch toward that goal. The stuff he's having me do is stuff I've never seen. I've got guys in Arizona who trained with him and they spoke to how good he is at what he does. So, when you have a guy like that, you trust his plan and attack it wholeheartedly."
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