Lions Cut Ties with Former Second-Round Pick Levi Onwuzurike Hours Before Season Opener

The Detroit Lions announced on Friday that defensive end Levi Onwuzurike has been released, reducing the active roster to 52 players two days before the Week 1 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The team’s official X account also confirmed the simultaneous release of seventh-round rookie Tyre West from the practice squad.

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Onwuzurike was selected 41st overall in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Washington, where he earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2019. After a rookie season with 35 tackles and a sack, a back injury forced him to miss 2022. He returned for ten games in 2023 and posted his best numbers in 2024 (28 tackles, 13 QB hits, 1.5 sacks). Following a one-year extension in March 2025, he tore his ACL in training camp and missed the 2025 season.

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Tyre West, a seventh-round pick in the 2026 draft from Tennessee, recorded 65 tackles (20.5 for loss), 10 sacks and two forced fumbles in 48 college games.

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Head coach Dan Campbell praised Onwuzurike’s work ethic and recent physical progress in camp, noting the player’s transition from rehab to full-strength training. The Lions’ X post formally confirmed both roster moves.

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Because Onwuzurike does not have to clear waivers, Detroit could add him to the practice squad as early as Saturday and elevate him for Sunday’s game. AtoZSports suggested the timing may also allow the Lions to avoid guaranteeing his contract, freeing salary-cap space given his injury history.

Lions surprisingly release former second-round pick and seventh-round pick days before Week 1 opener, but there may be a sneaky reason for it

• “Yeah, he looks great. I would say when you are coming off that injury, your ability to train now, being healthy basically, right? So, now you’re kind of out of that rehab mode and now you’re into truly strength, conditioning, training, power, explosion, all of it.” — Dan Campbell, head coach

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The release removes a player who has not contributed on the field since his ACL injury while freeing the Lions from a guaranteed salary commitment. With ten defensive linemen on the depth chart entering Week 1, the move underscores Detroit’s confidence in younger players such as first-round tackle Blake Miller, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, and the recently signed Alim McNeil.

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If retained on the practice squad, Onwuzurike could be eligible for elevation to the active roster for Sunday’s game. The Lions open the season at Ford Field against New Orleans, with the defensive line’s performance and the newly assembled offensive line expected to be key factors in the outcome.

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