When the Detroit Lions drafted Jeff Okudah No. 3 overall, it was easy to envision him becoming a foundational building block. Detroit was coming off a three-win season, and a former superstar college cornerback in Okudah seemed like a seamless fit for a turnaround.
Just over three years later, they’re moving on from Okudah expressly because their rebuild is complete. And they don’t need a 24-year-old mercurial cornerback in their contending mix — regardless of his past draft status.
On Tuesday, the Lions officially ended the Okudah era in Detroit when they offloaded him to the Atlanta Falcons. Usually, you wouldn’t see an organization “give up” on a player drafted in the top three for what amounts to pennies — a 2023 fifth-round pick — but the Lions’ current situation isn’t normal.
It’s extraordinary. For them, anyway.
After closing the 2022 campaign on an 8-2 run, Detroit is on the ascent. It’s clear that head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes are pushing all the right buttons. After adding talented veterans like Cameron Sutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson — two players who will sand over Detroit’s arguably biggest weakness, the secondary — the Lions are going for it.
“It” meaning a firm status as a legit power player in the NFC.
“It” meaning that Detroit’s (perennial and agonizing) rebuild is officially over.
“It” meaning that anyone is expendable if they don’t fit the current Honolulu Blue puzzle perfectly: top-three picks who have only shown occasional flashes, included.
The Lions didn’t have to trade Okudah. They could’ve kept him around and seen how he fared on what might be the most talented roster they’ve had in a decade. He’s only entering his fourth year in the league and would’ve been relatively cheap theoretically if offered an eventual fifth-year option. After an Achilles tear robbed much of Okudah’s hopeful recent progress, he might have started to really blossom in the years ahead. It’s not a bad bet for someone who won’t even turn 25 until next February.
But it’s apparent the Lions were done waiting on Okudah.
They didn’t want to stay patient and see him finally play like the defender the previous Matt Patricia regime drafted. This is not a team with the luxury of waiting for young defenders to blossom. They’re not a walking lab experiment seeing what sticks and what doesn’t anymore, the way every rebuilding project in the NFL unfolds. Detroit is a contender that needs experience and upcoming franchise players to take advantage of a competitive window right now.
Neither of those descriptors applied to Okudah, even if he was starting to hit his stride. It’s just one example, but a mere two picks in three seasons is not nearly anyone what anyone envisioned when he came to Detroit.
The Lions sold low on Okudah because he no longer had a comfortable place on their roster. They sold low because they’re past the point of waiting for underperforming players to finally reach their potential. They’re ready to win, bar none.
The Okudah trade is a blaring signal that the Lions have arrived.
