The Detroit Lions already had one of the best rosters in the league entering this offseason, and it might be even better after free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
In free agency, the team added reliable veteran cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Avonte Maddox, as well as solid depth defensive lineman Roy Lopez.
Then, during the draft, the team spent a first-round pick on defensive lineman Tyleik Williams and then added potential starting guard Tate Ratledge in the second.
Several more quality depth pieces were added as well, meaning some veterans could get squeezed out of jobs.
Sterling Xie of Pro Football Network recently identified one player from each team who could be a trade or cut candidate. For the Lions, Xie identified defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike as an expendable player.
Regarding Onwuzurike and the Lions, Xie offered the following:
Although edge rusher might loom as a bigger need, the Detroit Lions now have plenty of beef on the interior of the defensive line. First-round DT Tyleik Williams profiles as a plug-and-play option from Day 1. D.J. Reader and Roy Lopez are reliable veteran run-stuffers as well, while big edge rushers like Brodric Martin and Josh Paschal can kick inside on passing downs.
The only question is the recovery timeline from Alim McNeill, as the Lions may not want to leave themselves short-handed on the interior if McNeill is expected to miss most of 2025. However, if Onwuzurike fails to impress in the preseason, the Lions might be better served getting a Day 3 pick in return instead of cutting him.
As Xie mentioned, Onwuzurike could potentially get squeezed out due to the increased competition added to the interior defensive line.
Onwuzurike also failed to secure a big payday this offseason, returning to the Lions on a one-year, $4-million deal. This low-cost deal could make him easier to move than some of the other options on the roster.
However, like Xie pointed out, the Lions could be hesitant to move on from Onwuzurike due to Alim McNeill's injury status. McNeill tore his ACL last December and might not be ready for the start of the regular season.
Additionally, there's no guarantee that the rookie Williams will be an immediate contributor. Also, fellow defensive lineman D.J. Reader is already 30 and may not be on the roster after this season, while Onwuzurike is still just 27.
Roy Lopez also signed for less money than Onwuzurike and has been less productive in the NFL, so the team would likely move on from him before Onwuzurike.
However, if Xie is right and the Lions don't want to keep Onwuzurike, there would likely be a market. Many teams would like to get better on the interior defensive line, so the Lions could likely fetch a mid-to-late round pick on the market.
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