Lions Urged to Land Breakout EDGE as ‘Perfect’ Addition to the Defense

Getty New York Giants outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari was a part of the team's final roster moves vs. the Buffalo Bills.

Lions Could Bolster Defense

Ojulari had a strong campaign in his rookie season in 2021, making eight sacks, but appeared in only 18 games over the next two seasons. He has rebounded this season, making six total sacks so far this season with pace to set a career high.

“At just 24 years old, Ojulari is just now stepping into his playing prime,” Knox wrote. “Though injury and a reduced role pulled him from the spotlight after his eight-sack 2021 rookie, he’s shown that he can be a high-end No. 2 edge while filling in for Kayvon Thibodeaux this season.”

While Smith could give the Lions a strong pass-rushing presence while Hutchinson recovers from a fractured leg, Ojulari could be a long-term presence for the Lions, Knox suggested.

“Ojulari and Hutchinson could be a dangerous combination for the next half-decade or more,” he wrote.

The Lions have already boosted other areas of their defense in recent years, with concerted efforts to shore up a secondary that had been among the league’s worst, but failed to find consistency in the pass rush aside from the breakout star Hutchinson.

Glimmer of Hope for Aidan Hutchinson’s Return

Though he suffered a gruesome injury in the team’s win over the Dallas Cowboys in October, Hutchinson still has a small chance of returning to the field this season — as long as his team makes an unprecedented run.

The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Oct. 19 that Hutchinson suffered a clean break, making his rehab fairly straightforward and allowing him to return for what would be the final game of the NFL year.

“Sources say there are several factors that point to Hutchinson potentially being back at the early benchmark of four months — which would be right at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025 — provided Detroit makes it, of course,” Rapoport wrote.

“Though Hutchinson’s injury was horrific and chilling to watch, the fracture itself was actually a clean break, sources say. There was no ligament damage. There was no nerve damage. The kinds of issues that can result with such a serious break were not present — very good news.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty