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Lions Keep Levi Onwuzurike Under Contract for 2026 Through CBA Tolling Rule

A pre‑camp ACL kept the defensive tackle on reserve, triggering the clause that carries his one‑year deal into next year.

Overview

  • Under Article 20 of the NFL CBA, a final‑year contract tolls when a player remains on reserve without reinstatement by the sixth game, and coverage confirms this applies to Onwuzurike.
  • Reports differ on the reserve designation — Yahoo Sports and MLive cite PUP, while another report cites NFI — but both pathways result in the deal rolling to 2026.
  • Over The Cap lists the tolled 2026 terms as a fully guaranteed $1.5 million base salary with up to $500,000 in per‑game roster bonuses.
  • Dan Campbell announced before training camp that Onwuzurike tore his ACL and would miss the season.
  • The Lions retain control for another evaluation year after his 2024 breakout, which followed a 2022 season lost to a lumbar fusion.