3 Lions Veterans Fighting for Their Jobs After The Draft

The Detroit Lions made good use of some of their premium picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, adding the best cornerback prospect in years in Ohio State's Jeff Okudah at pick No. 3 while beefing up the backfield after adding Georgia's D'Andre Swift in the second round. Bob Quinn's solid drafting could spell the end for these three veterans that could see their playing time diminish or evaporate now that the rookies are in town.

3. EDGE Romeo Okwara

Imagine getting knocked out of the starting lineup by your own brother. Romeo Okwara's younger brother, Julian, a star pass rusher at Notre Dame, was picked in the third round by the Lions, envisioning a tandem of both Okwara brothers lining up on the other side of Trey Flowers. Unfortunately for Romeo, Julian is the younger, better athlete, and ilkely has a notably higher ceiling, which could lead to the younger half of this partnership taking more snaps as the season progresses.

2. OG Oday Aboushi

Aboushi is pencilled in as one of the starting guards in Detroit, but he just received some new competition in the form of third-round pick Jonah Jackson and fourth-round pick Logan Stenberg, both of whom caught Matt Patricia's eye at the Senior Bowl. Jackson presents greater potential, but Stenberg is the rare Day 3 pick who could start right now given his run blocking. Both of these fresh faces spell trouble for the grizzled veteran out of Virginia.

1. CB Justin Coleman

Coleman signed a four-year, $36 million deal with the Lions, but he already faces a reduced role in Year 2. The Jeffrey Okudah selection, as well as the signing of Desmond Trufant and the trade for Duron Harmon, indicates that Matt Patricia identified a secondary that featured Coleman in a prominent role as the biggest weakness for Detroit last season. Coleman is already third on the depth chart, and he could slide further down depending on how well Harmon and Okudah mesh.