Lions Training Camp Preview: Can Offensive Line Stay Healthy?

Can the offensive line withstand injury issues?

The Detroit Lions have built their offensive line in homegrown fashion. 

Four of the five starters heading into the 2023 season are draft picks. Three were selected in the first round of their respective drafts. 

The results have been shining, as the team has one of the NFL's best offensive line units. However, injuries have hindered the production in recent years.

Reason for hope

Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell give the Lions a solid duo of tackles. Together, they bookend the line in solid fashion. 

Both registered Pro Football Focus pass blocking efficiency ratings of 97%. Decker ranked 18th among qualified tackles in pass blocking grade, while Sewell ranked 39th. 

As good as the Oregon product has been in his first two seasons, there's still room to grow. He can be more efficient with his hand placement in pass protection among other areas of improvement.

Together, the two tackles allowed just six sacks. With how good those players were, the best player on Detroit's front line is center Frank Ragnow when he's healthy.

The middle man has played at a high level when available. Injuries hampered his performance in 2022, as he dealt with a nagging foot injury. 

He still managed a PFF run-blocking grade of 78.9, which was the best full-season mark he's posted in his career. 

Left guard Jonah Jackson has been steady since entering the league as a third-round pick. His strengths are in the run game, as he excels pulling across the formation. 

The Lions will also get Halapoulivaati Vaitai back after he missed all of last season with a back injury. He'll face competition at right guard in the form of Graham Glasgow, a familiar face who returns to Detroit after playing three seasons for Denver. 

Training camp battle

Vaitai will take center stage in an attempt to win back his job against Glasgow. 

A veteran free agent signing, Glasgow can play both guard positions as well as center, so he'll provide value even if he doesn't beat his incumbent teammate. 

There will also be a competition to back up Ragnow, who was limited in practices for most of last year with his foot set back. He opted not to get surgery, so pain tolerance will be a factor for the former first-rounder. 

Ross Pierschbacher got significant reps during OTAs with the starter sidelined, so he may have a leg up in the competition. The Alabama product has played in 11 career games, including three last year with Detroit. 

Injuries hammered the Lions' offensive line last year, as Jackson missed four games. With both guards sidelined at times, Detroit was forced to rotate a cast of players to attempt to fill the void. 

Evan Brown, who was the best of the replacements, is off to Seattle. As a result, there will be battles to claim depth spots on the roster. 

Matt Nelson has shown enough to be the leader as the team's backup tackle, but he will face a challenge from the likes of 2022 undrafted free agent Obinna Eze and veteran signing Germain Ifedi.

Fifth-round pick Colby Sorsdal was a tackle at William & Mary but will have to adjust to the guard position. Another name to watch is Logan Stenberg, who failed to take advantage of a starting opportunity early in 2022. 

Jackson also enters camp with uncertainty surrounding his future. The Ohio State product is entering a contract year, so he's playing to cement a role with the Lions in the long term.