The Detroit Lions' 2021 draft class has produced multiple cornerstone pieces for the franchise.
Penei Sewell, Alim McNeill and Amon-Ra St. Brown have all inked contract extensions to keep them with the organization long-term, but interesting decisions still remain as members of that class reach the end of their rookie deals.
Detroit's second-round pick that year, defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike, is among the members who are set to hit free agency this offseason. Onwuzurike's future is a bit polarizing, as he has the upside of a big piece for the defense but has struggled at points with durability.
Onwuzurike played 16 games in his rookie season despite missing a chunk of training camp with an injury, then was out his entire second year with a back injury. The ailment lingered in 2023 as he played in just 10 games, but he returned to full health ahead of training camp in 2024.
The Washington product had a strong training camp and wound up starting 10 of his 16 games in 2024. He remained healthy throughout the year, becoming a vital piece as Detroit's defensive line had to withstand several key injuries to players such as McNeill and Aidan Hutchinson.
Onwuzurike has shown the ability to be impactful particularly as a pass rusher from the interior, as evidenced by his team-best 47 pressures throughout the year. He was credited with 1.5 sacks this season and had a team-best 14 quarterback hits.
Because of his upside, there's plenty of benefit in keeping Onwuzurike moving forward. The Lions stuck with him through the injury, and his strong training camp in his fourth NFL season indicates that he still has his best football ahead of him.
Predicting Onwuzurike's market is a bit tricky. The overall value of defensive tackles has increased greatly in recent years, with Chris Jones of Kansas City leading the way at $31.8 million APY (Average per year).
Detroit signed McNeill to a hefty extension already, as he is now the fourth-highest paid player at the position with an APY of $24.25 million. Onwuzurike doesn't have the same production in terms of overall body of work as McNeill, so his price won't be as high.
However, with the value of pass rushing defensive tackles consistently increasing, Onwuzurike could stand to gain a lucrative extension. As a result, Onwuzurike could demand nearly $15 million per year moving forward.
If the Lions elect to resign him, it will come at a solid price with the team hoping that he will maximize his potential working under new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.
Contract prediction: Three years, $42 million
