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Daily DLP: Lions Add More OL Help | Detroit Lions Podcast
More IOL help ahead of the Draft
The Detroit Lions Podcast checks in from Pittsburgh, where the NFL Draft setup is coming together four weeks out. The walk-through comes with roster news that hits the trenches. Detroit added guard Ben Bartch to an already crowded interior offensive line. He is a big body with real NFL snaps. He also carries real medical flags.
Bartch climbed from a D-III program to Jacksonville and showed promise after a strong Senior Bowl in 2020. A dislocated knee derailed that progress. That is a bone issue, not a tendon tear. He later landed with the San Francisco 49ers and opened last season tracking as their starting left guard. An ankle injury in Week 2 sent him to injured reserve. He lost the job to Spencer Buford. The tape before the injuries said NFL starter. The health record says proceed with care.
Sorting the Interior: Starters, Jobs, and Budget Reality
The Lions have numbers on the interior now. That affects draft plans and daily reps. Tate Rallidge is set to start at right guard. Cade Mays is set to start at center. He is the only free agent on a deal longer than one year, and that signals trust.
Left guard is open. Christian Mahogany is in that mix. So is Barch. Juice Scruggs joins the competition after arriving in the David Montgomery trade. Miles Frazier is another name to watch. There are four players fighting for two game-day jobs behind the starters: the backup center Colon and the swing guard role. May the best man win.
Cap space matters here. Detroit has room, but not enough to burn minimum deals on sign-and-cut churn. Adding Barch only works if he pushes the room. If he is healthy, he has shown he can.
Awosika Moves On; Mahogany’s Challenge
Coyote Awosika signed with the Los Angeles Chargers after four years in Detroit. He was a dependable reserve and even started in a big spot in San Francisco. He topped out as a primary backup. A fresh look makes sense for both sides.
The staff wants upside in those depth chairs. Scruggs may be the best pure talent of the challengers because he can also play center. That flexibility is gold on game days.
Mahogany controls his own case at left guard. He was very good early last year. In the opening loss to Green Bay, he was arguably Detroit’s best lineman. Later, lateral resets in pass protection failed him. Clean that up, and he can lock the job. If not, Barch and Scruggs will press him every rep.
Prospect Debates Will Rage, and That’s Fine
The show also nods to recent prospect debates. Disagreement is part of the process. Watch the film. Make the case. NFL teams see players differently too. Detroit’s interior battle will showcase that truth all summer.
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