Entering his third NFL season, maybe this is the year Levi Onwuzurike finds his footing in Detroit. The floor might otherwise fall through.
Good to see you out here, he was told by a group of reporters after the Lions' first practice of training camp on Sunday. "Hell yeah," Onwuzurike said.
It was Onwuzurike's first practice in nearly a full calendar year. He re-injured his back in the Lions' first padded practice of camp last August and missed the entire season after undergoing surgery in October to address a disc issue that dates to his college days. His status for this season remained in doubt until Onwuzurike was fully cleared about two weeks ago.
"It feels good to be back on the field and actually feel good," he said.
Onwuzurike, 25, is still an intriguing piece for the Lions. The former second-round pick could bolster a defensive line that looks mostly the same from last season. He memorably said the night he was drafted, "I like fu*king people up. I like to get off the line and put my helmet or my hands on an O-lineman and fu*k up an offensive scheme." Think he's excited to remind everyone?
"You know I'm excited," he said. "You see the smile on my face."
Asked what he can bring to the table this season, Onwuzurike said, "A lot of speed and strength to that D-line."
Onwuzurike said he doesn't have any physical restrictions, but the Lions will ease him back into action. The season opener is still more than six weeks away. Dan Campbell said Sunday the Lions will "just progress Levi in as we go." The fact that he's back on the field is an important first step. The next one is proving that he can be a difference-maker in the NFL.
While he played in 16 games as a rookie, Onwuzurike wasn't himself. His back issue had cost him most of training camp and then plagued him throughout the season. And last year he didn't play at all. Drafted to wreak havoc up front, Onwuzurike has one sack and two tackles for loss two years into his career.
"It's tough being hurt," he said. "But at the end of the day, it's really just finding a way to get better. You don't have time to be frustrated, be mad or be whatever. Just gotta figure it out somehow."
For now, anyway, it appears that he has.
"Feeling good," Onwuzurike said. "Real sturdy and real strong. Hell yeah."
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