The Detroit Lions are reportedly ready to move on from Jeff Okudah after drafting him as the third overall pick in 2020.
The cornerback was only behind Joe Burrow and Chase Young in said draft, going before the likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts, and Justin Herbert. But it’s reported that a third-round pick will be enough to get a deal done.
Okudah joined the Lions with a world of expectation but has suffered some bad injuries, including a ruptured Achilles in Week 1 of the 2021 season.
The Los Angeles Rams are thought to be the team most interested in Okudah at the moment, having traded Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins while also losing Taylor Rapp and Nick Scott in free agency. While the claims of the Lions looking for a third-round pick in exchange are unconfirmed, the Rams do have picks to play with and it would likely consider the fact that the player is still on a rookie deal to be one which works in their favor.
The 23-year-old was vaunted as the top CB prospect ahead of the draft in 2020 and signed a four-year deal with the Lions worth $33.53 million fully guaranteed, inclusive of a $21.94 million signing bonus.
He suffered a hamstring injury during his first training camp and missed the first game of the season before returning for Week 2, making his first interception in Week 3.
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Okudah ended up on the injured reserve because of a core muscle injury in mid-December and, as mentioned above, suffered an Achilles injury during the first game of the following season.
While he’s had a troubled start to life in the NFL, Okudah had a solid 2022 campaign and is considered more likely to succeed in the pros than an incoming third-rounder. There’s also the upside of having contractual control for the next two seasons given the status of his current deal.
