A Week 1 Lions starter is in serious danger of losing his starting job before the bye week
Christian Mahogany will get the first shot, but injuries derailed Detroit’s original competition, and Ben Bartch may still have something to say about who owns the job.
The Detroit Lions have a starting left guard entering Week 1. They also have a head coach who refuses to call him the starting left guard. That distinction matters, and it could define one of the most compelling position battles Detroit carries into the regular season.
Christian Mahogany is the guy right now. He’s going to start Week 1. Can’t take that away from him. But coach Dan Campbell has been asked multiple times, flat out, whether the left guard spot is settled. Can we call that position? Can we say we know the answer to that one? Is this thing over?
He won’t do it. He just will not do it.
The battle that never fully materialized
The Lions came into training camp hoping for a real left guard competition. Mahogany, Ben Bartch, Juice Scruggs, Giovanni Manu, Michael Niese. All of those guys were supposed to fight for that starting spot. Campbell wanted the best five offensive linemen on the field, regardless of where they lined up.
Then things fell apart. Bartch came into camp hurt and didn’t participate until much later. Manu practiced for one day and has been on the NFI list ever since. Scruggs got hurt, and by the time he got back, center Cade Mays was dealing with his own injury, so Scruggs had to slide over to center. Niese, unfortunately, never really had a chance.
So the competition that was supposed to push Mahogany never fully happened. And yet, Campbell still won’t hand him the job outright.
Why Ben Bartch is the name to watch
Here’s the thing. When Bartch has been on the field, he’s looked really good. And in talking to some other writers around the building, there’s a legitimate chance Bartch could be the Lions’ starting left guard by the bye week.
It feels like the Lions really like him that much. It feels like Mahogany is one big mistake away from losing his starting job. Not a little mistake. A big one. That could happen in Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, or it could not happen at all. We don’t know. But the door is wide open, and Campbell is making sure it stays that way.
Could Detroit bring in another guard?
The Lions have two open roster spots after waiving both Seth McLaughlin and Jabari Small. That raises a natural question: are the Lions considering bringing in another guard from outside?
Will Hernandez and Laken Tomlinson both came in for tryouts a few weeks back. Either of those guys could walk in and fight for a starting job. Whether the Lions go that route remains to be seen, but the fact that those spots are available tells you Detroit isn’t done building this roster.
What it all means
At this point, the Lions have etched it in stone that they will not etch left guard in stone. They’re going around it. They will not give Mahogany this job on a silver platter. He’s the starter for now, but one big mistake paired with a bunch of really good practices from Bartch, or whoever the Lions bring in, and that’s probably going to do it for Mahogany in that spot.
If Mahogany goes out and balls out, then it’s no big deal. He doesn’t have to worry about it. But this could be an ongoing battle. This could be something that plays out all season long. We’re going to see what happens here.
Detroit Lions News