Matt Johnson
The Detroit Lions feared the worst on Sunday when cornerback Jeff Okudah went down with a leg injury and an MRI confirmed their worries Monday. Okudah suffered a ruptured Achilles against the San Francisco 49ers and will miss the rest of the season.
Okudah, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, entered the season determined to turn things around after a rough rookie season. Sadly, it only took a few minutes for things to take an unfortunate turn.
A few drives after being torched by Deebo Samuel for a 79-yard touchdown, Okudah hit the turf and grabbed at his leg. Dan Campbell said after the game the team was concerned about Okudah’s Achilles and preparing for the worst.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, MRI results confirmed on Monday that the 22-year-old cornerback ruptured his Achilles and is lost for the rest of the season.
It’s a devastating turn of events for a young player who seemed to turn the corner in training camp. Okudah struggled during his rookie season, allowing a 112 passer rating and receiving a 30.9 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus.
He reported to training camp this summer excited to work with a new coaching staff and things were going very well. Sadly, the 6-foot-1 cornerback now faces a major hurdle that may prevent him from living up to his draft status.
