Julian Okwara
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Julian Okwara tries to make a play on Jalen Hurts in 2021.
Julian Okwara is back with the Detroit Lions just one day after the team released the veteran defensive end to make room for another returning player.
The Lions had waived Okwara on January 19 as second-year edge rusher James Houston was added to the active roster, but Okwara was able to return to the practice squad on Saturday after going unclaimed on waivers. As Jeff Risdon of USA Today’s Lions Wire noted, Okwara’s return was part of a series of roster moves one day ahead of the team’s divisional playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Lions Keep Defensive Line Depth
Okwara’s return to the practice squad gives the Lions some trusted depth on the defensive line. The 26-year-old has appeared in 38 games over the course of his four seasons in Detroit, including nine this year. He split time between defense and special teams, making seven total tackles with four quarterback hits.
His initial release on Friday made room for the Lions to activate Houston, though the second-year linebacker’s status for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers remains in doubt. Head coach Dan Campbell said his availability would depend on whether Houston is healthy enough to contribute.
We still gotta gauge if we feel like he will be ready,” Campbell said, via the Kansas City Star. “I know this, he’s better. He’s a lot better this week than he was last week. That’s the progression of it, right? Every week, he should start to get his legs back under him, feel good about it. We’ve got to decide if we really believe that if he goes, are we going to get the production relative to who we’re sitting?”
Houston had a more optimistic outlook for the game, saying he’s ready to get onto the field and contribute for his team.
“I’m ready…I’m a playmaker at heart,” Houston said earlier in the week. “I want to affect the game in any way that I can.”
Houston had a stellar though truncated rookie season, recording eight sacks in just seven games to end the season. He had little chance to follow it up this season, suffering an ankle injury in a Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and being placed on injured reserve for the rest of the regular season. The Lions struggled at times to establish a consistent pass rush, so a healthy Houston could play an important role in the playoffs
Bring in Reinforcements
The Lions also elevated a pair of players from the practice squad for Sunday’s playoff game, though Okwara was not among them. The team instead called up fullback Jason Cabinda and defensive tackle Tyson Alualu, the second consecutive week that both were brought to the active roster. While practice squad players can only be elevated three times during the regular season, there are unlimited call-ups for the playoffs.
Cabinda is back on the roster after spending part of the season on injured reserve. He was released upon his return in January, but brought back to the practice squad after clearing waivers.
