Lions' Christian Covington: Recovered from pectoral injury
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Covington is participating in OTAs after recovering from a pectoral injury, Colton Pouncy of The Athletic reports.
Covington played in four games with the Chargers last season before winding up on injured reserve but is now back in action for OTAs in Detroit. The 29-year-old registered 12 tackles (three solo) during the 2022 campaign and will now compete for a depth role throughout the summer.
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Lions' Charles Harris: Back in action
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Harris (groin) has been participation in the Lions' OTAs, Colton Pouncy of The Athletic reports.
Harris made his return to the field after having dealt with a groin injury since October. The 2017 first-round pick logged 14 tackles (10 solo) and a sack in six games during the 2022 campaign and should have an ample opportunity to compete for playing time heading into the coming season.
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Lions' Levi Onwuzurike: Return timetable TBD
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Onwuzurike (back) still has yet to practice during Detroit's OTAs, Justin Rodgers of The Detroit News reports.
Onwuzurike, who missed all of the 2022 NFL season with a back issue, also had back problems during his rookie year that held him out of training camp. While head coach Dan Campbell noted Thursday that he doesn't have a timetable for the young defensive lineman's return to the practice, he added "certainly, we're hoping to have him (back) in camp at some point." Campbell also stated that Onwuzurike "just got on the grass probably about a week ago where he can begin to run."
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Lions' Malcolm Rodriguez: Dealing with undisclosed injury
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Rodriguez (undisclosed) was a non-participant at practice Thursday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Head coach Dan Campbell ruled out Rodriguez for practice Thursday after the linebacker left the team's open OTA last week with an unspecified injury. That being said, he is not believed to be dealing with anything serious and the Lions are likely just being cautious with his health.
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Lions' Tracy Walker: Partial participant at OTAs
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Walker (Achilles) was a partial participant during OTAs and expects full clearance for training camp, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Walker led the Lions with 108 tackles in 2021 but played in just three games last year before tearing his Achilles. Detroit's medical staff is being cautious with the 2018 third-round pick, but he sounds confident with how his rehab is going. If he's available to start 2023, Walker figures to start alongside C.J. Gardner-Johnson, though recent draft picks Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch could factor into the mix as well.
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Lions' Christian Covington: Signs with Detroit
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Covington (pectoral) agreed to a contract with the Lions on Wednesday, Benjamin Raven of MLive.com reports.
Covington will head to Detroit after spending the past two years with the Chargers. The 29-year-old logged 12 tackles (three solo) in four games last season and will likely compete for a role as a reserve lineman heading into the upcoming campaign.
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Mac McCain: Waived by Detroit
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The Lions waived McCain (undisclosed) with a failure to disclose physical condition designation Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
McCain will now head to waivers despite only signing with Detroit back in February. The 25-year-old has not appeared in a game since 2021 and will now try to find another opportunity to compete for a roster spot.
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Lions' Tracy Walker: Moving well in personal workouts
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Walker (Achilles) recently posted videos on social media of himself aggressively going through an agility drill, Woodward Sports Network reports.
Walker missed most of last season after injuring his Achilles in Week 3. While he appears on track for the start of OTAs on May 23, it is unclear how slowly the Lions coaching staff may bring him along. When healthy, Walker is expected to team with C.J. Gardner-Johnson to lead a safety group that also includes a pair of high draft picks from the past two years in Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.
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Lions' Brian Branch: Motor City bound
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The Lions selected Branch in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 45th overall.
It's a light class in terms of safety prospects, but Branch clearly stands above the rest. The Alabama product was used all over the field in Tuscaloosa and chipped in 90 tackles to go with nine pass breakups in 2022 to bring his career total to 27 in three years. Branch is light for a safety at 190 pounds, but the tenacity he plays with suggests that he'll be able to hold up and bring ball carriers to the ground. Look for Branch to primarily play nickel corner but also put in time at safety, especially if Tracy Walker (Achilles) is sidelined to start the year.
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Lions' Jack Campbell: Surprise pick at 18th for Detroit
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The Lions selected Campbell in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 18th overall.
Campbell is a big (6-foot-5, 249 pounds) linebacker with excellent testing athleticism (4.65-second 40, 128-inch broad jump, 6.74-second three-cone drill), and he was a three-down player in a suffocating Iowa defense. The Hawkeyes' run defenses are always good, though, and Campbell failed to produce the way you would expect of someone with his athleticism. More specifically, Campbell was allergic to the backfield, making just 5.5 tackles for loss out of 128 total tackles last year. Six Iowa defenders logged more tackles for loss than Campbell did in 2023. By selecting Campbell this high the Lions are almost compelled to give him a three-down role as a rookie, and with that Campbell would be on the IDP radar in most formats.
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Lions' Benito Jones: Stays with Detroit as ERFA
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The Lions re-signed Jones to a one-year, $940,000 contract Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Jones appeared in all 17 games last season and registered 1.5 sacks and a pair of pass deflections while playing 27 percent of the Lions' snaps on defense. He'll be back to compete for a depth role along the defensive line.
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C.J. Moore: Suspended for 2023 season and cut
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The Lions cut Moore after the NFL announced Friday that he will be suspended indefinitely, minimum one season, for violating the league's gambling policy, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Moore was found to have bet on the NFL games, resulting in a minimum suspension of one season, after which he will be able to apply for reinstatement. Moore was one of five players suspended for violating the league's gambling policy Friday, with teammate Quintez Cephus and Shaka Toney of the Commanders also getting season-long suspensions for wagering on NFL games while Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill received six-game suspensions for betting on non-NFL contests. The safety will now have to set his sights on reinstatement and finding another team for the 2024 campaign.
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Lions' Saivion Smith: Returns to Detroit
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Smith and the Lions agreed to a contract Monday, Justin Rogers of The Detroit News reports.
Smith suffered a significant neck injury in October of last season and proceeded to stay on the practice-squad injured list for the remainder of the campaign. The 25-year-old now will be back in Detroit for 2023 and look to carve out a role in the secondary on the active roster.
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Falcons' Jeff Okudah: Traded to ATL
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The Lions are trading Okudah to the Falcons, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the third overall pick from the 2020 NFL Draft has been dealt in exchange for a 2023 fifth-rounder. Injuries limited to Okudah to 10 games his first two seasons, and while he bounced back from an Achilles tear in 2021 to make 15 starts last year, he struggled late in the season and now is heading to a new team. The 24-year-old could perhaps challenge 33-year-old Casey Heyward (pectoral) for the starting job opposite No. 1 corner A.J. Terrell, but it's also possible Okudah lands further down the depth chart in Atlanta.
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Panthers' John Penisini: Coming out of retirement
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Penisini is coming out of retirement to sign with the Panthers, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Penisini retired at the age of 25 last offseason but will now return to the NFL with the Panthers. Throughout his two seasons in Detroit, the 2020 sixth-round pick recorded 49 tackles (23 solo) and a sack in 32 games. Penisini will look to provide depth at nose tackle as Carolina switches to a 3-4 defense.
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Lions' Levi Onwuzurike: Future uncertain
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Onwuzurike (back) remains in a rehabilitation program and is uncertain to play in 2023, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports. "The first thing I'm thinking about, I'm not thinking about the player playing. I'm thinking about the player being healthy. And then if he plays, that's just icing on top," defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said at the NFL Combine.
Onwuzurike has been sidelined since hurting his back during the first day of padded practice last year. While it doesn't seem like the Detroit coaching staff is particularly encouraged by his progress thus far, we should know more about his availability as the team goes through offseason workouts this spring.
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Lions' Romeo Okwara: Accepts pay cut
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Okwara has agreed to a restructured contract to remain in Detroit in 2023, Justin Rogers of The Detroit News reports.
Okwara reportedly took a massive pay cut by lowering his base salary from $11 million to $2 million after missing most of the past two seasons due to a torn Achilles. The 27-year-old will now compete for a prominent role in Detroit's pass-rush rotation ahead of the 2023 campaign before hitting free agency in 2024.
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Cardinals' Josh Woods: Signing with Arizona
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The Cardinals signed Woods to a one-year deal Thursday, Darren Urban of the team's official site reports.
Woods played for the Lions last season, registering 14 tackles (10 solo) while appearing in every game. The 26-year-old played almost exclusively on special teams last year, and Woods should be expected to have a similar role for the 2023 season.
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Giants' Amani Oruwariye: Finds new home
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Oruwariye signed a contract with the Giants on Thursday, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.
Oruwariye will get a new opportunity in New York after struggling to maintain a steady role in Detroit. The 27-year-old recorded 44 tackles (36 solo) and three passes defended in 2022, which were both the lowest totals he's posted in those categories since his rookie campaign in 2019. His addition will bolster the Giants' depth at cornerback.
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49ers' Austin Bryant: Heading to Bay Area
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Bryant agreed to a one-year contract with the 49ers on Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Bryant will be moving to the West Coast after a four-year stint in Detroit to begin his NFL career. The 26-year-old defensive end made nine appearances in 2019, logging nine tackles, one pass breakup and zero sacks. He's projected to fill a depth role for San Francisco.
