By Adeniyi Precious 
The Detroit Lions have been linked to some big-name edge rushers this offseason, like Myles Garrett and Khalil Mack. Recently, Joey Bosa and Trey Hendrickson have also been thrown into the mix. However, Lions GM Brad Holmes made it clear at the NFL Combine that they’re not likely to make any big-money moves for edge rushers, especially with a major extension for Aidan Hutchinson on the horizon. That means they might be looking at more affordable options.
Mike Jones from The Athletic thinks the Lions will go after Azeez Ojulari, a former second-round pick from the New York Giants. Ojulari showed a lot of promise in his rookie year, racking up eight sacks and 49 tackles. But injuries have slowed him down since then. He played only seven games in year two, getting 5.5 sacks, and had a quieter third season with just 2.5 sacks in 11 games. However, in 2024, he bounced back with six sacks in 11 games, despite only playing half the snaps.
Given his potential and age (just 24), Ojulari could be a solid, low-cost option for the Lions. He’s shown he can deliver when healthy, even with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns ahead of him on the Giants’ depth chart. With the Lions already having a strong defense led by Hutchinson, they might not need to make a big splash in free agency for the edge position. Ojulari’s injury history might be a red flag, but if the Lions want to avoid overspending and settle the position before the draft, he makes a lot of sense.