Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Can Joshua Onujiogu Bounce Back From Injury?

Joshua Onujiogu played in one game as a rookie in 2022 before missing his entire sophomore season. How does he fit into Seattle's top-heavy edge rusher room?

Aug 26, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Joshua Onujiogu (49) tackles Dallas Cowboys running back Aaron Shampklin (32) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

With OTAs now opening across the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in just under two months, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best- and worst-case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

After missing the 2023 season with an elbow injury, can Joshua Onujiogu battle back to earn a role in Seattle’s top-heavy edge rusher rotation?

Background

Onujiogu is a rare case, attending NCAA Division III school Framingham State University after graduating from Wareham High School in Wareham, Massachusetts. In five seasons with the Rams, Onujiogu piled up 228 total tackles, 36 sacks and 67 tackles for loss — including 25 tackles for loss in his final college season. Seattle signed Onujiogu as an undrafted free agent in May 2022 before he was released at the end of training camp and brought back on the Seahawks practice squad. Onujiogu was activated ahead of Seattle’s 2022 Week 9 game against the Arizona Cardinals, playing 11 snaps on the edge and recording three tackles. He returned to the practice squad the following week and missed the entire 2023 season with an elbow injury.

Scheme Fit

Onujiogu is a 4-3 defensive end who mostly put his hand in the dirt at Framingham State. He then translated to a stand-up outside linebacker in Pete Carroll’s 3-4 base defense and would be the same in Mike Macdonald’s three-man front. Onujiogu relied on his power to dominate at the Division III level, regularly going straight into a bull rush to get into the backfield — something that will be a far less consistent option for him if he hopes to earn a consistent role.

Best Case Scenario

With two seasons in an NFL weight training and practice regimen, Onujiogu’s strength will have improved, even after the elbow injury. His pass-rushing repertoire will have expanded, and his coverage skills will be apparent as a weakside linebacker. With a lack of depth at the outside linebacker positions, Onujiogu lands on the 53-man roster as a rotational player and special teams contributor.

Worst Case Scenario

After losing a valuable year for development due to injury, Onujiogu's long-term development suffers and he struggles throughout camp, lacking his usual power on pass rush snaps. Other young prospects display a better coverage ability, leading to him being cut after the preseason finale and not returning on the practice squad.

What to Expect in 2024

Without much recent tape on Onujiogu, it’s difficult to tell where his skill set has improved or not improved since seeing very limited action in 2022. His positional versatility seems limited, which is a concern in Mike Macdonald’s defense that emphasizes players moving around frequently, especially in the front seven. His injury status is also a concern, considering he never returned from injured reserve after August 2023. Seattle also has no guaranteed money committed to Onujiogu in 2024 of his $795,000 cap hit.

The biggest factor working in Onujiogu’s favor is Seattle’s lack of depth at the outside linebacker position, and he has a good chance to make the practice squad behind Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor, and Derick Hall, who are all likely 53-man roster locks. If he is retained on the practice squad, and can stay healthy, Onujiogu could see some action in a pinch in a campaign that would resemble where he was in 2022.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Buddha Jones | Devin Richardson | TaMerik Williams | Rason Williams II | Ro Torrence | Nathan Pickering | Dee Williams | Devere Levelston | Kobe Lewis | Sunny Anderson | Mike Novitsky | Max Pincher | Easton Gibbs | Hayden Hatten | Garret Greenfield | Carlton Johnson | Matt Gotel |George Holani | Cody White | Ty Okada | Drake Thomas | McClendon Curtis | Easop Winston Jr. |Nelson Ceaser | Jonathan Sutherland | Lance Boykin