Over the next several days, leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft, we’re taking a position-by-position look at the Detroit Lions’ roster and evaluating how the team might address each unit. Today: Edge rusher.
► Current roster: Romeo Okwara, Charles Harris, Julian Okwara, Austin Bryant, Jessie Lemonier, Rashod Berry
► Short-term need: Eight out of 10
► Long-term need: Eight out of 10
► Top prospects: Aidan Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Travon Walker, Jermaine Johnson, George Karlaftis
► Day 2 options: David Ojabo, Boye Mafe, Joshua Paschal, Logan Hall, Kingsley Enagbare, Drake Jackson, Nik Bonitto
► Late-round considerations: Micheal Clemons, Amaré Barno
► Analysis: In many ways, the Lions followed the early offseason blueprint you should have expected, at least regarding the team’s edge-rushing situation. Releasing Trey Flowers was an easy move, as was retaining Harris. The latter got a nice pay bump after a career year, and if the former first-round pick can maintain last season’s level of production, the two-year, $13 million pact will be a relative bargain.
Beyond those two moves, Detroit sat tight. Given where they are in their rebuild, they were never going to be in the mix for a top edge rusher. The $14-plus million per season commanded by the talents at the top of the market might have been a short-term solution, but also a poor use of resources for a team not ready to compete for the postseason.
So yeah, while a guy like Jadeveon Clowney remains available, don’t expect the Lions to enter the mix.
In addition to Harris, the Lions do have some other pieces in place, namely the Okwara brothers. Romeo, who led the Lions in sacks two seasons ago, unfortunately suffered a torn Achilles in 2021. With that injury, all we can do is wait and see how well he can come back, but odds of a recovery are better for a player in their physical prime. Romeo turns 27 this offseason.
As for Julian, he’s had his own injury woes, but started to flash some potential as he accumulated experience late last season. If he can stay healthy, there’s reason to believe a breakout season is on the horizon.
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But even in the best-case scenario, where Harris maintains, Romeo rebounds and Julian flourishes, the Lions are going to need more pass-rush help. The team has ranked in the bottom five in pressure rate each of the past three seasons, and given the importance of affecting the quarterback in the pass-happy NFL, the Lions must find talent that will help them rectify their deficiency.
That starts with the No. 2 pick.
Obviously, Hutchinson would be a home run. The homegrown product is productive, highly athletic and his non-stop motor would be a perfect cultural fit for what coach Dan Campbell is building in Detroit. Unfortunately, the current expectation is Jacksonville, with the No. 1 pick, will be snagging the Wolverines standout. That will leave the Lions to consider their Plan B.
The second-best pass rusher in this draft continues to be a hot debate. A couple of months ago, few would have second-guessed Oregon’s Thibodeaux as the answer to that question. The toolsy defensive end has a lot going for him, both on tape and his athletic-testing profile, but he’s been subject to questions about his football character and off-field demeanor. The Lions clearly understand the raw talent and have invested extensive time and resources trying to answer those peripheral concerns.
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The other top contender is Walker, who opened plenty of eyes with an exceptional showing at the combine, paired with freakishly long limbs, a critical tool for many of the league’s successful pass rushers. But contrasted against his modest production at Georgia — 9.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 29 games — and you truly have to believe in the developmental ability of your coaching staff to maximize the prospect’s gifts. That’s a tough bet to make that early in the draft.
More: Justin Rogers’ 2022 NFL mock draft 2.0, post-free agency edition
The dark horse is Johnson, who previously rotated with Walker at Georgia before transferring to Florida State and posting 11.5 sacks in his lone season with the Seminoles. That’s sexy output, and he rubber-stamped his credentials by looking to be the most dominant player during the first two practices at the Senior Bowl, as a member of the team coached by the Lions staff. The frame is good, the production is there and he measured better than expected at the combine, particularly his 4.58-second 40.
Johnson’s ceiling might be lower than Walker or Thibodeaux, but he also arguably has the higher floor.
In the increasingly unlikely scenario the Lions go a different direction with their top selection, there’s also projected to be edge help in Day 2 of the draft. That starts with the Hutchinson’s running mate at Michigan, Ojabo, who could easily drop out of the first round after suffering an Achilles injury during his Pro Day. That’s unquestionably a risk-reward decision, but one the Lions can afford to take.
The safer play, from a durability standpoint, would be Minnesota’s Mafe. Like Ojabo, he’s raw and inexperienced, but with elite physical tools that can be developed with some patience.
And if you like the idea of getting proven college producers, Enagbare, Jackson and Bonitto all had top-end pass-rush win rates, a metric that often translates to pro success.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers