Can former second-round pick earn spot on Lions roster?

Oft-injured defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike is healthy and practicing at Detroit Lions training camp, but will he even make the team?

The third-year defensive tackle has spent most of his career on the injured list, including for this year's spring workouts. Onwuzurike missed all of 2022 after injuring his back in training camp.   

Drafted in the second round out of Washington in 2021, Onwuzurike was ranked among the top D-linemen coming out of college. However, he had a history of back issues in college that has carried over to the NFL.

In 2021, he played limited snaps during his rookie season. He totaled one sack, one quarterback hit, 35 combined tackles, two tackles for loss and two passes defended in 16 games. He didn't earn a start.

General manager Brad Holmes has brought in several players to backfill the hole on the roster left by Onwuzurike's absence. Isaiah Buggs and John Cominsky were free-agent additions last season who re-signed this spring. Both contributed significantly to the team's defensive line in 2022 and were a priority for Holmes to bring back in 2023. 

Holmes also drafted defensive tackles in the past two drafts. In 2022, Joshua Paschal was added and played vital reps last season. Brodric Martin was drafted in the third round out of Western Kentucky in 2023. 

Toward the end of last season, the defensive line showed significant improvement without Onwuzurike, who has an uphill battle to move up the depth chart. In 2022, the team achieved a middle-of-the-pack finish with 39 sacks.