Levi Onwuzurike is back on the Detroit Lions’ active roster. The club announced that it signed the defensive lineman from its practice squad before Thursday night’s road game against the Buffalo Bills. The move restores an option on the defensive front as Detroit prepares for the matchup.
Onwuzurike’s return follows a brief move off the active roster. Detroit released him ahead of Week 1 and brought him back to the practice squad the next day. A second-round selection in 2021, he appeared in 42 games during his first four NFL seasons. He missed all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL.
The Lions also called up offensive tackle Devin Cochran and center Seth McLaughlin from the practice squad for the trip. Those elevations come as the team manages injuries across the offensive line: left guard Christian Mahogany and right tackle Blake Miller have both been ruled out. Their absences leave Detroit with fewer available options at two positions for the game.
The roster moves address distinct needs on both sides of the ball. On defense, Onwuzurike returns to the active group after his rehabilitation and time on the practice squad. On offense, Cochran and McLaughlin provide additional line depth while Mahogany and Miller are unavailable. The announcements do not specify how many snaps any of the three elevated players will receive, but they make the available personnel clearer ahead of kickoff.
For Onwuzurike, the signing marks a return to the active roster after a season lost to injury and a short opening-week transition. His previous NFL experience gives Detroit a familiar player to consider for the Bills game, while the elevations give the coaching staff extra choices along the line. The team’s active and inactive lists will determine how those options translate into the final game-day lineup.