As Jeff Okudah continues to make his way back from a major injury, the Detroit Lions want their third-year cornerback to focus on small gains.
Lions secondary coach Aubrey Pleasant said this week his only expectation for Okudah this season is to continue winning “small victories” in his return from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
“And right now we have them, with him being here,” Pleasant said. “He’s even here this week right now. Being active during practice. Day by day small victories for him, and right now he’s on the winning side.”
Okudah injured his left Achilles tendon in the second half of the Lions’ season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers last September.
He has been a limited participant in offseason workouts this spring, taking part primarily in walk-through periods and doing some individual work.
Okudah spoke publicly about his injury and rehab for the first time earlier this month, saying “it kind of felt like I was living a nightmare” when the injury first happened and promising to make “a comeback you can be proud of” this fall.
[ What they’re saying about Detroit Lions rookies not named Aidan Hutchinson ]
Achilles injuries have historically been one of the toughest injuries for top athletes to recover from, though cornerback Richard Sherman made the Pro Bowl two years after he tore his Achilles tendon in 2017.
Okudah is on track to return by the start of the regular season. He worked regularly with the first-team defense during walk-through periods this spring, and Pleasant said if Okudah stays focused on the right things his small victories will eventually turn into “large goals.”
“But in order to obtain your goals, you have to have waypoints and deadlines to get there,” Pleasant said. “And if you get too caught up on the goal, you lose the essence of the process.”
After struggling with injuries and subpar play his first two seasons, this year looms large for Okudah.
The Lions will have to decide whether to pick up the fifth-year option on Okudah’s rookie contract next spring, and they fashioned their secondary under the assumption he will play a significant role this fall.
Amani Oruwariye and Jerry Jacobs return as the Lions’ primary starting cornerbacks from last season, but Jacobs is rehabbing from the torn ACL he suffered in December and the Lions made just one significant addition to their cornerback corps this offseason, slot cornerback Mike Hughes.
MAILBAG: Dan Campbell, offensive line are biggest reasons to believe in 2022
Okudah spent a significant portion of practices by Pleasant’s side this spring, taking mental reps in the defense while his teammates were on the field. Pleasant, who had a heated sideline exchange with Okudah before the injury last September, said he will be “sensitive to (Okudah’s) situation” with his coaching this season.
“I really believe as a coach sometimes players can get lost in practice,” Pleasant said. “They’re not really learning from other people’s mistakes and Jeff knows specifically that time is of the essence for him and he’s trying to take full advantage of that. And I’m very appreciative and proud for him in his development.”
Jacobs did not take part in organized team activities or minicamp, and Pleasant declined to put a timetable on his return.
“He’s in a very good place,” Pleasant said. “Again, small victories. I like to say he’s ahead of the curve right now and he is another young man that’s very, very, very much into it with his teammates in practice.”
As for Okudah, Pleasant said his biggest fear is not that Okudah will return a lesser player than he was before the injury, but rather he and others will begin to overlook the victories in his return.
“His career in college and then being able to have a really huge breakout year, and then his first two or three years in the league, just kind of watching how this thing’s unfolded, it’s really small victories,” Pleasant said. “Day by day, being here, on time, making sure you’re (where you) need to be, making sure you’re tapped in. And I’m telling you, Jeff is all the way locked in right now.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.