Getty Romeo Okwara celebrates a play in 2019 with Detroit.
Detroit Lions defensive end Romeo Okwara has hit a major rough patch in his career, appearing in only nine games over the last two seasons while dealing with a significant injury and agreeing to take a major pay cut this offseason.
Now, one insider believes that Okwara could be on the hot seat as training camp approaches and may need to battle to keep his position on the team. The Lions have already made some big investments into their defense, and SI.com’s Vito Chirco believes it is now time for Okwara to “put up or shut up.”
Lions Edge Rusher Has Something to Prove
As Chirco noted, Okwara has struggled with setbacks that have been largely out of his control. After a strong campaign in 2020 where he notched 10 sacks and earned a $37-million contract, the defensive end suffered a torn Achilles in Week 4 of the 2021 season and was not able to return until Week 13 of last season.
Fair or not, the situation has left Okwara on the hot seat this coming season, Chirco noted.
“He’s failed to stay healthy the past two seasons, and has suited up for just nine total games. And remember, the best ability as a pro athlete is availability, and it’s a trait he hasn’t possessed for a couple of seasons now,” Chirco wrote.
Chirco added that Okwara has already given a significant concession, agreeing to have his base salary reduced to $2 million this coming season, down from the original $11 million he would have been owed.
The pay cut came after Okwara’s production dropped significantly in each of the two injury-shortened seasons. He made just 14 total tackles with three sacks over the course of the last two years, and in 2022 appeared in just 39% of total defensive snaps.
Romeo Okwara Feels ‘Maybe Even Better’ Than Before
After two seasons shortened by injury, Okwara is confident that he will return strong for the upcoming year. Speaking to 97.1 The Ticket, the Lions defensive end said he feels “more explosive, stronger, faster” this year and that his body is “maybe even better” than it felt before he suffered the torn Achilles.
Okwara also spoke about his willingness to take a pay cut, saying he wanted to remain in Detroit and was willing to give back a bit.
“Detroit’s my home,” Okwara said. “And I think it was really important for me to be here and just keep building on what we’ve started since I’ve been here. So I didn’t really think too much of it. That’s just part of the business and I’m glad to be here.”
While the reduced salary could give Okwara a leg up in the battle for a roster spot, his future in Detroit is not assured as he is entering the final year of his contract. But Okwara remained focused on the season ahead and said he was excited to enter the season as favorites to win the NFC North — and ready to work at making it happen.
“Whatever’s expected for us, we gotta work for it,” Okwara said. “We gotta keep our head down and just work.”
