Lions DT Levi Onwuzurike Remains Under Team Control For 2026 After Contract Tolls

Per Justin Rogers of the Detroit Football Network, Lions DT Levi Onwuzurike‘s contract tolled and he will remain under team control for 2026.

Onwuzurike suffered a torn ACL in July and missed the entire season on the NFI list after signing a one-year deal. However, Rogers mentions a provision under the collective bargaining agreement has caused his contract to toll, keeping him under team control for 2026 with the same terms as before.

Rogers included the following section of the CBA that explains the situation that pertains to Onwuzurike:

“A player who is placed on a Nonfootball Injury or Illness list (“N-F/I”) will not be entitled to any compensation under his contract while on such list but, except as provided below, his contract will continue to run while in such status.

(b)

“A player on N-F/I who is in the final year of his contract (including an option year) will have his contract tolled. However, if the player is physically able to perform his football services on or before the sixth regular season game, the Club must pay the player his negotiated Paragraph 5 Salary (pro rata) for the balance of the season in order to toll such player’s contract. If such player is taken off N-F/I during the period when such action is allowed by League rules, his contract will not be tolled.”

Onwuzurike, 27, was drafted by the Lions with pick No. 41 overall in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Washington.

Onwuzurike finished the final year of a four-year rookie deal worth $8,148,892 with a $3,286,467 signing bonus before returning to the Lions on a one-year contract worth up to $5.5 million for the 2025 season.

In 2024, Onwuzurike appeared in 16 games for the Lions and recorded 28 total tackles, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble.