The Lions are bringing back their sack leader from the 2020 season.
Romeo Okwara has agreed to a three-year, $39 million deal with Detroit, according to Ian Rapoport. Okwara, who finished 10th in the NFL with 10 sacks last year, 'wants to make Detroit his home.'
It's a good deal for the Lions, if Okwara's production continues. The three highest-paid pass rushers on last year's free agent market got an average of $14 million per year. Okwara, who's younger than all of them, checks in at $13 million per year.
That ranks outside the 20 highest-paid defensive ends in the league, according to Over The Cap.
Okwara, 25, will team up with Trey Flowers to fuel what Dan Campbell and the Lions will hope is a better pass rush next season. Detroit finished 27th in the NFL in sacks in 2020 and last in both pressures and QB hits.
Okwara's breakout season came after a year in which he had just 1.5 sacks in 14 games. In addition to his 10 sacks last year, he generated 31 pressures -- nearly a third of the Lions' total -- 11 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles.