Detroit Lions Need Big O-Line Investment to Pay Off

The Detroit Lions have invested heavily in the offensive line over the past four years. Despite the significant draft capital spent trying to build a formidable force up front, offensive line remains perhaps the biggest question mark on the roster.

That’s just not good enough for a team that will start three first-round picks and two third rounders, all drafted since 2012. It is time for all the talent and potential to congeal into a line greater than the sum of its parts.

The issues are not from lack of trying. Former GM Martin Mayhew and his successor Bob Quinn have thrown all sorts or resources at upgrading a line that has varied from awful (2012) to solidly average (2014) over the last five years.

• Riley Reiff, tackle, first round 2012
• Larry Warford, right guard, third round 2013
• Travis Swanson, center, third round 2014
• Laken Tomlinson, left guard, first round 2015
• Taylor Decker, tackle, first round 2016

Those are Detroit’s projected starters in 2016. Swanson at center could get beat out by 2016 third-rounder Graham Glasgow, and it’s still up in the air which side the tackles will align. The smart money is on Decker to take over at left tackle and Reiff to move to the right side.

No other team has so much recent draft investment up front. Not even the Cowboys, who are almost universally cited as the top O-line in the NFL. They have three first-rounders in Tyron Smith (2011), Travis Frederick (2013) and Zack Martin (2014), but also have an undrafted free agent in La’el Collins and a veteran in Doug Free who floundered for several years as a fourth-round pick (2007).

Take a look around the NFC North. The Packers have their OL struggles, but it’s somewhat a function of the relative draft investment over the years. Green Bay starts three fourth-round picks in LT David Bakhtiari, LG Josh Sitton and RG T.J. Lang. Center Corey Linsley, who is demonstrably better than Swanson, was a fifth-round pick in that same draft. The Packers’ worst lineman is right tackle Bryan Bulaga, ironically the only first-rounder up front.

Minnesota has a first round (2011) left tackle in Matt Kalil, a second-round (2009) right tackle in Phil Loadholt, a pair of sixth rounders in Brandon Fusco (2011) at left guard and John Sullivan (2008) at center and a pricey free agent–originally undrafted–in Alex Boone. Loadholt will have to beat out 2015 fourth-rounder T.J. Clemmings or former Bengals first-rounder (2009) Andre Smith. Note here the tackles are the weak spot despite being more highly drafted, too. .

Chicago has long struggled up front, even more than the Lions. Their investments in guys like Gabe Carimi (first round, 2011) and Chris Williams (first round, 2008) flopped, though Kyle Long in the 2013 first round has panned out nicely. Long will kick back to right guard, where he is Pro Bowl-caliber. I love the potential of 2016 second-rounder Cody Whitehair at left guard, and Hroniss Grasu (third round, 2015) is also better than Swanson at center. They paid former Cardinals fourth-rounder (2012) Bobbie Massie to man right tackle.

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At minimum, the Lions group should be playing demonstrably better than Chicago and Green Bay. It’s incumbent upon new Offensive Line Coach Ron Prince and his assistant Michael McCarthy to mold all the investment into a line that pays real dividends in both the run and passing game.

As Matt Urben wrote, Warford must get back to his fine rookie form. Tomlinson has to play faster in his second season, as he often looked a half-beat late and too pensive as a rookie. Reiff is a lot better than most fans think he is but nonetheless needs to thrive in run blocking on the right side. Decker has little margin for any learning curve, though early returns are quite positive on the Ohio State product. Competition at center needs to bring out the best in Swanson and/or Glasgow.

All of those are eminently possible. Okay, plausible. At least there is appreciable depth in veteran free agent Geoff Schwartz, who can capably start at either spot on the right side. Rookie fourth-round pick Joe Dahl can fill in either spot, too. The loser of the center battle offers upside as a reserve interior swingman.

Lions fans are right to remain skeptical. For too long the offensive line has been a penny stock, even a junk bond at times. It’s time for all the blue chip investment to provide consistent high-end returns.