Okwara announced his retirement on social media, saying he has “decided to step away from the NFL.” He first entered the league as an undrafted free agent, spending two seasons with the Giants before breaking out with the Lions. He totaled 7.5 sacks in 2018 and really took off for the Lions in 2020 with 10 sacks. However, Okwara battled a torn Achilles after that, playing just nine games between 2021-2022. He appeared in 16 games in 2023, but could not return to his former self, mostly playing as a rotational pass-rusher. Okwara ends his NFL career with 25 career sacks in eight seasons.

Okwara is recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in October and hadn't been participating in mini-camp, no real surprise there. Paschal was dealing with a vague "lower extremity" injury that limited him early in the offseason. Jacobs is recovering from an ACL tear in December.

Okwara is still recovering from a torn Achilles injury that ended his 2021 season in Week 4. One of the better players along the Lions' DL, Okwara was awarded a three-year, $39 million contract last offseason after a 10 sack season that included 61 QB pressures in 2020. No specific timeline has been laid out for Okwara's return, however defensive line coach Todd Walsh did share that he will serve specifically as a DE upon his return.

Okwara signed a three-year, $39 million deal with the Lions in March following his 10-sack 2020 campaign. Okwara had the fifth most QB pressures among EDGE rushers last season, and was graded as Pro Football Focus' sixth best EDGE rusher through Week 3. His absence will make Detroit's defense even more toothless than it has been in the early going.