Lions HC says trading former top pick was 'right thing to do'

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell addressed the team's decision to trade Jeff Okudah to the Atlanta Falcons this week and said it was the best possible thing for both him and the team. 

"We really felt like, at this time, this is probably the best thing for us and for Jeff," Campbell said on Thursday during an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show."

"A new change of scenery and give him a fresh start. We felt really good about our guys. And, look, man, I appreciate Jeff. Jeff was a pro, he came to work, he busted his ass. Man, he worked at it and he was coming off an injury last year and we just felt like, 'You know what, this is the right thing to do right now.'"

Okudah was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 draft but started just 22 games (and appeared in only 25) over three seasons with the Lions. He missed almost all of the 2021 season after tearing his Achilles just one game into the season, a major setback for his development. 

He had a strong start in 2022 before fading down the stretch,

The Lions have spent considerable free agency resources this offseason boosting their secondary, adding Cameron Sutton, C.J. Mosley and C.J. Gardner-Johnson to their defensive backfield. That would have left Okudah buried on the depth chart or fighting for playing time. 

He has intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, in his first three years in the NFL. 

The Falcons desperately need help in their secondary after allowing more than 230 passing yards per game during the 2022 season. That is 25th in the NFL. They also intercepted just nine passes, the third-fewest total in the league ahead of only the New York Giants and Detroit. 

Okudah is far from a sure thing to be an impact player, but he still has the talent to be a strong starter. It could be a situation where a fresh start benefits him.