We're almost there. The Detroit Lions and the rest of the NFL will start training camp this month. The Lions will of course start at the very end of the month on the 29th, but it will indeed be in July.

It is now that time of year where we can really start talking about what's going to happen at Lions camp this year. Sadly, we won't be able to go as in depth as we did last year when the Lions were on Hard Knocks, but there will still be plenty of entertainment. Specifically in the camp battle department. 

It seems like there's more battles than ever this year. So we're going to split them up and go over them one by one. We've already gone over the RB3 battle, today we're going to talk about the many questions surrounding who's going to start at right guard for this team. 

First lets talk about this offensive line as whole for moment. This group has been together for quite a while now, but we're still waiting to see what it looks like at full strength. The line has dealt with a lot of injuries. That's why it makes it a  little difficult to figure out who's going to meld well with everyone. 

It seems like Halapoulivaati Vaitai is the expected candidate to take the starting right guard spot. After all, it was his before his injury. The issue is there is that the last time Vaitai started at right guard was in 2021. He missed the entirety of the 2022 season due to back injury. He did play pretty well during that season though. Pro Football Focus graded him out at 68.4. Plus he was great mentor for then rookie Penei Sewell. 

Vatai is healthy and ready to go. There's reason to believe that he could definitely just take back his spot. The problem with that could be that the Lions also just brought back Graham Glasgow. 

Glasgow was the Lions starter at right guard before Bob Quinn just let him walk out the door for seemingly no reason at all and brought in Vaitai to replace him. The former Wolverine did a pretty good job while he was here too. 

Glasgow has spent the last three seasons with the Denver Broncos. Most of that time went fairly well for him, but he struggled in 2022. Now that he's back with Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow, we might see him return to form. Plus he'll have Jonah Jackson and Penei Sewell helping him out too. This is much better line than the one he played on in Denver. 

Lastly there's Colby Sorsdal. This is a long shot, but you have to include it because sometimes crazy things happen in this league. The rookie has spent his entire playing career at either tackle spot and is just now learning to play guard. Some people take to it like a fish does with water, others take a long time or never quite get it at all. Sorsdal seems to be coming along somewhere right in between that. 

My prediction

I think the safe prediction is to go with Vaitai, but I'm not making the safe prediction today. I believe that Glasgow will ultimately earn this spot when it's all said and done. It should be a very good battle and really, the Lions win either way. No matter who wins, the Lions have good depth at the position. 

Lions camp battles: Can Craig Reynolds hold onto his spot?

There’s a real battle heating up at RB3

Featured image by Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK