After 13 months of surgery, healing and rehab, Lions veteran pass rusher Romeo Okwara returned to the practice field in Allen Park this week.
Okwara didn't do a lot, stretching and taking part in individual periods in front of reporters, but after a long 13 months, Okwara said he felt like a kid again out there with the guys.
"I feel like I was like finally let to go out on recess," Okwara joked in the locker room Thursday. "I've been like locked inside, so it felt really good to just go out there and just like run outside, especially in the snow (Thursday). It was a blessing."
It's been over 400 days since Okwara was last spotted at practice the week before tearing his Achilles Week 4 vs. Chicago last season. He opened training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, but said he got the green light from his surgeon to resume football activities after a checkup last week went well.
"It was a huge relief because it'd been a long, long, long, long journey and I just feel really blessed and lucky to be able to come back and be with this team," he said.
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Thursday, November 17, 2022.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift (32) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah (1) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Julian Okwara (99) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Michael Brockers (90) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Benito Jones (94) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Austin Bryant (2) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Benito Jones (94) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Julian Okwara (99) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Charles Harris (53) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs (96) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Evan Brown (63) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Michael Brockers (90) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Dan Skipper (70) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Austin Bryant (2) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Ross Pierschbacher (66) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Julian Okwara (99) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Darrin Paulo (60) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Ross Pierschbacher (66) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Justin Jackson (42) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift (32) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Brandon Zylstra (13) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Stanley Berryhill (83) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Josh Johnson (80) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Garrett Griffin (86) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Justin Jackson (42) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end James Mitchell (82) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Julian Okwara (99) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions fullback Jason Cabinda (45) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky (79) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions center Evan Brown (63) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Dan Skipper (70) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Brandon Zylstra (13) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Michael Brockers (90) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift (32) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift (32) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Mike Hughes (23) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Will Harris (25) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Will Harris (25) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Kayode Awosika (74) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky (79) during practice at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on November 17, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
It's been a slow and frustrating rehab process, Okwara said, but Achilles injuries can be finicky things. He declined to say if he suffered any setbacks along the way in his rehab process.
Okwara was just happy to be back running around and practicing with the guys again. He said he felt great after a couple days of practice and said the plan is to return to game action at some point this season.
"Oh, I'm going to play," he said. "I want to play. It's just a matter of time."
The Lions have 21 days to activate Okwara to their 53-man roster.
"I do know it was good to see him out at practice yesterday," Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said Thursday. "So, I mean he's going to be a guy that's going to give us pass rush also, we know that from his past.
"We haven't had a chance to really get to utilize that. So, I'm looking forward to him getting back, so we can utilize that."
Okwara led the Lions with a career-high 10 sacks in his last full season in 2020. He said football is his happy place, and he's just glad to be back doing what he loves.
BIG FRIDAY FOR CHARK
Today is a big day for wide receiver DJ Chark to see if he can potentially return to the lineup Sunday.
Chark returned to practice Wednesday after spending the last four weeks on IR with a left ankle injury. He's eligible to come off IR on Saturday, the day before Detroit's game against the Giants Sunday.
Detroit's top deep threat at the receiver position, Chark hasn't played since Week 3.
"Chark looked better than he did the day before, so we'll see what it looks like today," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Friday.
OPTIMISTIC ON RAGNOW
Center Frank Ragnow returned to the practice field Friday after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday with a foot injury.
"Frank took the boot off both feet today," Campbell joked. "He will be out there running around today, so I'm pretty optimistic. For Sunday, I'm pretty optimistic for Frank, we are, yep."
Having Ragnow available Sunday would be big for the Lions as they face arguably the top nose tackle in football in New York's Dexter Lawrence. The Giants typically line Lawrence up right over the center. Lawrence has five sacks and 17 quarterback hits on the season.
BUSY WEEK
It's a quick turnaround for the Lions after Sunday's game in New York as they come home and face the Buffalo Bills for their annual Thanksgiving Day Game on Thursday.
As soon as the players come into the building on Monday after Sunday's game in New York, it's on to Buffalo. The coaches must have a plan in place to start preparing the players. That makes this week a little longer for Campbell's assistant coaches.
"This is the hardest part of this profession is going into the short game, the Thursday games because this is where it's a grind, and you're trying to prepare for this, this opponent because this is the most important game right now, but you also have to have enough prepared for when the players come in the next day," Campbell said.
Coaches will be working through some Buffalo things over the next couple days. Campbell doesn't like the coordinators doing it, he wants them focused solely on New York, but the assistants will have some ideas ready to roll for Monday.
