One of the offseason puzzles the Detroit Lions must solve is what to do with Julian Okwara. The third-year defender doesn’t have an exact or easy fit in the new scheme and front that coordinator Aaron Glenn is implementing.
That doesn’t mean Okwara doesn’t belong or can’t be an asset. Far from it. But finding where Okwara’s skills fit best might take some experimenting. The Lions seem well-prepared to try the 24-year-old EDGE in a lot of different roles in the fresh attacking style of defense.
During last week’s OTAs, Okwara primarily worked with the linebackers and LB coach Kelvin Sheppard. That is where head coach Dan Campbell sees Okwara.
“We consider him a linebacker. He is a hybrid,” Campbell explained. “We consider him in base as a linebacker, more of a SAM linebacker or on the edge. In sub or in nickel, he becomes more of that defensive end. Third down he could become kind of that spin or stand-up X player. But, just as far as if you’re rolling out base, he’s one of the guys competing to be in our edge, SAM linebacker.”
Sheppard echoed those parameters for how Okwara will be used in 2022.
“Last year, JO lined up everywhere,” Sheppard offered up to reporters last week. “Over the center, on the edge, split out on the number two. You’ll see him stacked. When you’re able to have versatile players it opens up the playbook for the coordinator.”
The competition Campbell mentioned could be crowded. There are a few other candidates for the SAM role in the base 4-man front. That role is effectively a pass-rush specialist who aligns outside the DE, one of whom figures to be Julian’s brother, Romeo. That’s presuming three LBs on the field, a situation that will be far less frequent than with two or even one linebacker, however.
Okwara has had his struggles playing the run, both at playing and tackling in space and at setting an edge and forcing the issue. The Lions drafted James Houston, a more natural off-ball LB who also happened to emerge as a pass-rushing force at Jackson State in 2021. Charles Harris plays more effectively as a heavy SAM backer than a hand-in-dirt DE, too.
It’s the sub-package role, specifically when the Lions go to an odd-man front, where Okwara likely fits best. There should be some 5-man fronts with Okwara definitely in the mix as one of the ends. In a 3-man front — the primary scheme from the last few seasons — Okwara fits as one of the stand-up OLBs who rush from outside the tackle box.
